Behind These Bars
by nanaiomoyeah
Summary: This is a slightly A/U take on the Katawa Shoujo story. It features Hisao-Lilly pairing, with a Hanako-O/C paring as well. The goal this story attempts to reach is to expand on some characters by putting them in extreme situations, as well as respect the General Cannon as much as possible. This story contains mature themes, adult situations and graphic language. Be discreet please.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One: Prologue! Behind These Bars, Storm The Gates!  
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><p>It was a chilly day, even if it was almost summer. A black sedan pulled through the sleepy, quiet mountain town with barely a whisper, except for the droning <em>swoosh<em> of tires on pavement. Inside the sedan, a small family sits; one, a calm, slender face with a strong jaw and broad shoulders, drives through the day. Another, youthful but burdened by the passage of time and other things, stares resolutely down, knitting a scarf of sorts in a mahogany red. Then, in the back of the car, a young man, with youthful features, a strong jaw, broad shoulders and kind eyes, gazes emptily at the passing scenery. A small shop here, a sweeping stream there, and everywhere else, silence.

The boy was unnerved at the time, seemingly troubled by something. He was a little over Eighteen, but his face, youthful as it was, already showed the signs of age that only a few people can truly identify. The set of his eyebrows, as he ignored his mother in the front. The way his once-bright green eyes didn't shine with as much fervour anymore. The way his chest rose and fell, almost cautiously metering out their movements; the breath of a condemned man.

But, then again...

_Aren't I condemned? I wish my heart knew what was wrong with it. If only so it didn't beat so much when I didn't need it to..._

The sights of the town disappearing went unnoticed by the boy, as the sedan crested a hill and came to a stop. It's destination was a large complex, with wrought iron gates which sported a clean, black finish, red brick walls and a limestone port. The smells of a park or upper-class gated community were prevalent in the air. The boy also didn't notice this, though. What brought him out of his daze was the slamming of the driver and passenger doors, followed by the subsequent opening of his door. With that, his arm rest now removed from under him, he snapped alert with a jolt, shaking his head roughly before swinging his feet out of the vehicle. His father extended his hand to the boy.

... The boy refused it.

A look of displeasure made it's way across the man's face. "Hisao... I know how you must feel about all this, but it's an amazing opportunity for you. You need to start being more open-minded about this. How do you ever expect to get past this if you don't at least put an effort in, hm?"

The boy stared at his father with a passive mask of nonchalance easily working through his body. It was too easy, seeing as he did it so much during his time in solitary – uh, _bed rest._

"Yes, Father."

The man looked unconvinced, but turned away. He gazed upon the familiar grounds, inhaling deeply, before he turned back.

"Honey, please help me with his bags. We can take them ahead to his room."

The woman, who had been gazing wistfully at her son, snapped her gaze to meet her husband's eyes, and gave a silent, stiff nod. So, as the boy gazed off into the distance across the town he was now to call his own, a hand resting on his chest; his parents with their torsos sticking into the trunk, gathering his things and setting them on the side of the road, it was almost _too easy_ to miss the sounds of another vehicle approaching from the opposite direction.

_Almost._

Hisao looked to his left, seeing a police cruiser pulling to a stop opposite them. Intrigued, he turned his body towards it, intent on watching the next few events as they unfolded.

The front passenger side door opened, and a young man in a well-kept uniform stepped out, stretching his arms at his sides. _Long ride, I suppose? I wonder what they're doing here. _

The officer ignored the boy. As he finished his stretches, he turned back to the cruiser, and... _Opened the rear door? What?_

As the door opened, he leaned into the car, fumbling around a bit, and then rose out of it again. It was after he rose that Hisao noticed the... cargo... that the cruiser had, until recently, kept contained.

A young man, who was _maybe _his age, stepped out of the cruiser, putting his arms behind his head freely to stretch. Hisao's heart couldn't help but start beating faster, as what was once a slight curiosity and anxiety turned almost into a full-blown panic. Only his fear, of this situation, and of his heart stopping in his chest, kept him in place.

The young man kept stretching, gazing lazily around his surroundings. His eyes swept easily over Hisao, and Hisao shuddered in place. After the boy finished scanning, he turned to the police officer, who was doing _absolutely nothing right_ at this moment, and started talking. The officer stopped what he was doing, signalling to the cruiser, and the trunk opened. They spoke some more, until the officer let out a bellow of a laugh, the young man giving a small laugh of his own.

Hisao's fervently beating heart slowed down at the laughter, and he collapsed to the ground clutching at his chest and coughing weakly. The young man across the street gestured to the officer, and then to Hisao, and the officer gave a curt nod and strode over, barely looking both ways before he did so. By the time the officer arrived, both of his parents were tending to Hisao, his coughing and wheezing a worrisome thing. "Hey, I'm officer Teito. Is everything alright over here, or should I go get help?"

The two worried parents were about to speak, but Hisao beat them to it. "What - *wheeze* - w – what gives? *gasp* *COUGH* - Who the-" He drew a huge gulp of air, sputtering a bit, before shifting onto his knees, looking up at the officer with worried eyes. "- Who the hell is _that_?"

The officer, looking back, let out a barking laugh, turning back to the disgruntled boy with a smile on his face. "Him? Oh, Now I see." More laughter, softer than before though, wracked his body, his shoulders bouncing with his chest as it heaved. "You needn't worry about him. He's... a little difficult, but he's a good kid. In fact, you should probably go talk to him. He's... quite the character. A stand-up individual -" the officer stopped laughing, and a dark, almost... _sad? _Look came across his face. "... even if his records would say otherwise. Go on, you need this almost as much as he does." Teito's face lit up again, and he got to his feet. He held his hand out for Hisao, but the winded boy watched him for a moment, consideration on his face.

_What did Teito mean by that? Should I go talk to him? I mean, the officer looked fairly comfortable, and he wasn't in handcuffs, or anything..._

After a moment of deliberation, however, Hisao's curiosity got the better of his reason, and he took the proffered hand and rose to his feet. Gulping a little, he looked back at his parents, who were looking at him with worry in their eyes. Staring back for a moment, he turned back to the officer, taking a deep breath, and steeling himself for what he was about to do. Looking up, his determination made the officer smile. "Okay. I'm gonna do it. You sure about this?"

They walked towards the cruiser, and the officer pulled out his notepad and a pen. "Positive. Well, Mostly. Come on, though! You look like a nice kid, and that guy wouldn't hurt a fly! No matter how this turns out, it could only be good for you."

His grinning face and happy composure made Hisao feel a little easier, but at the same time, he also felt a little concerned. Not for his safety, _per se, _but more for the future of the human race as a whole. _I mean, if guys like THIS can get onto the force... Maybe I should join up too? _It was a morbid joke, but it worked well for putting him in an open mindset, and steeling his nerves. As he approached the object of his concerns however, he couldn't help but feel a little anxious.

Compared to himself, this guy was a TANK. Even though he was hunched over with his arms in the trunk, he could easily tell that this guy had half a foot on him, and he wasn't a short guy to begin with. After that, thick, toned muscles almost rippled up his arms, his shoulders looking to be almost three times the size of his (admittedly scrawny) ones. The skin on his arms was an orangy-red, but traces of pale, white skin could be seen on his underarms. Combined with faint freckles, his Caucasian heritage was undeniable. The boy lifted his body out of the trunk, to show a buzzed head of short, golden brown hair. Hisao, however, had no doubt that his hair must be red when it wasn't so short. He had startlingly blonde eyebrows, and a short-cropped but neat and clean red beard rested across the lines of his face. It was the same length as his incredibly short hair. The boy looked over to him, and a victorious smirk made it's way across his face. Hisao couldn't help but smile along. That face must be a common one he made; it looked so at home with the deep-set, mildly slanted (Almost... Asian? Strange...) eyes. They were a deep, vibrant green on the outside, turning into a cool grayish blue, with a startling ring of copper in the middle. _Very intense, if I do say so myself. Damn! I haven't said anything. What should I say? What COULD I -_

Hisao was pulled from his musings as the boy in front of him chuckled, extending an arm out to greet him. He had a good accent, but it was obvious that Japanese was not his first language. "Hey there, guy. Had us worried for a second. At least _get in_ to the prestigious school – hospital – thingy before you keel over and die of fright, ne? Sorry; that's in bad taste. I'm Kanasu Mikaru. You can call me whatever you want, though." He smiled, and Hisao shook off his nervousness, smiling before extending his hand. "Hey there, I'm Nakai Hisao. I think I'll call you – _Stubs_?" _Oh, well fuck._

There was no hands on this boy. Just two, even-length... stubs.

_- I just called him Stubs._

_... WHY THE HELL DID I JUST CALL HIM STUBS!?_

He was holding onto the boy's forearm, shaking weakly, before a humungous guffaw followed; the boy lifting his other stub and shaking merrily and vigorously.

"GUAHAHAHA! 'Stubbs', he says! That's Great! Jeez, that's awesome. Hey, Hisao, do you think I can get _everyone _to call me that? That's like, the best nickname I've ever had!"

Hisao looked up at the boy in shock, before the boy's smooth baritone and smiling features registered in his brain. Becoming a nervous wreck, he started laughing too, mainly from relief though.

The two of them dropped their arms, and Hisao scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Heh heh... Yeah. Wait, no – _shit_. You're _unnerving_, man. I don't mind, really, but... Never mind. _Screw it_. I guess you don't really care what I say, do you?"

Mikaru grinned, and shook his head. "Nope! Well, I mean, there's obviously _some _things I won't tolerate, you know, because I still have my dignity and all. But, Hey! You seem like an easy guy to make nervous, so I'd prefer it if you just considered anything... water under the bridge. You're pretty cool, Hisao. WAAY better than those ass holes on the bid, by a long shot. Hey, can you give me a hand with this? - Pfft... _Hand_... heheheh..."

Hisao Shook his head, smiling at the ground. Seeing the boy's numerous bags, and lack of appendages capable of holding them, he grabbed a backpack, holding it out to the jubilant boy. He slid it onto his shoulders, and gestured towards a plain black duffel bag and a laptop case, bundled close together. "You want both?"

Mikaru gave a smile and a nod, so Hisao bent over to grab the duffel bag first. He grabbed the strap, and was about to lift, but Mikaru put his arm on his back, slowing him for a second. "Uh, on second thought Hisao, can you just give me the laptop? After that, I think it would be better if Officer Teito and your father helped me get the duffel bag there. There's a suitcase in the trunk you could get, though."

Hisao raised an eyebrow, but nodded and complied. Sliding the laptop's arm strap into place, he grabbed the suitcase, hefting it out of the trunk. "Holy shit... This thing is a little heavy, man. Well, at least to me. Heh."

Mikaru had a bit of a glint in his eyes, but smiled and nodded anyway. Hisao then turned to his father, who was looking suspiciously over at the two of them, and summoned him. Both the officer and Mr. Nakai walked over, coming to a stop at the rear of the car. "Yes, Hisao?"

Hisao pointed to the bag, and Officer Teito's face dropped. "Oh, right. _Shit. _Mr. Nakai, can you help me get that bag onto the boy's shoulders? I can't do it myself." Mr. Nakai glanced incredibly at the officer, the bag and the boy, but sighed eventually, shaking his head in defeat. "Alright, Officer Teito. If you say so."

The two men walked over to the bag, and the Officer beckoned Mikaru over, nodding silently. Coordinating with Mr. Nakai, the officer and the man grabbed the straps, which on second glance, had some sort of wire running through the handles, and Mr. Nakai looked up at Teito. With a mutual nod, they prepared to lift the bag, Mr. Nakai unsure of what to expect.

"Alright, here we go. One... two... three – _OH, HOLY... SHIT..._" The bag groaned a bit, as did the two men. With what looked like a tremendous effort, they lifted it as high as they could, and Mikaru quickly slid his head into the straps, balancing it on his shoulder and across his body. He stood steady, grunting slightly, but otherwise showed no other signs of discomfort or effort.

Winded, the officer doubled over, and gasped out "Oh, thank the _Kamis_ I never have to do _THAT_ again. You got it, Mikaru?"

Sliding his stump up the front of the straps, he slid it under, adjusting them a little, before grinning a little, and said "Heheh. Yup. _I got this, Teito. _Gomen, Mr. Nakai." He gave a bow, and Mr. Nakai stood flabbergasted. A little more jealous than anything, he waited for the boy to look up, and gave a curt nod, before hobbling back over to the car, holding his back and muttering something about _'little punk... mumble mumble mumble... steroids...'_

Hisao, on the other hand, suddenly got the strangest feeling.

_So, THIS is what it's like to have the biggest guy in the school at your back. NICE! - Wait, where's he going!? _

Mikaru, looking pleased with himself and not just a little bit cocky, grinned and beckoned Hisao over. Well, as best as he could burdened with what seemed like a thousand pounds of crap on his shoulders, and no hands to do it with.

"_Come on, Hisao! _The rest of our lives wait just behind these bars! Not that I'm necessarily happy about being locked in a pen again..._"_

Hisao smiled, knowing that, no matter what kind of guy he was, no matter what horrible, monstrous things he was accused of doing... he was a good guy – but, more than that...

_He was his friend._

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><p>End of Chapter One: Prologue: Behind These Bars!<p>

Next Time! Chapter Two: Behind These Bars, a Mix-up and an Accident!


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two: Behind These Bars, a Mix-Up and an Accident!**

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><p>The walk to the dorms was filled with manly grunting, breezy warmth, and some lighthearted banter. In the five minutes that Hisao and Mikaru had known each other, they had plenty to talk about, from previous success and conquests at school, to embarrassing stories of failure and mutual humiliation, to just plain useless <em>crap<em>. It was a liberating feeling, just being able to talk to someone and not worry about the consequences. Mikaru obviously took better to it than Hisao, but then again, Hisao was just glad he had met Mikaru under the circumstances he had, and not in any other – maybe less savoury – manner.

"So, according to the map I studied in the brochure, this is the dorm right up here. The yellow one, not the pink one. That's the girl's dorm. Now, I don't know about you, but I'd rather stay away from that one, at least until I scope things out better." He paused for a second, and amended his thoughts before Hisao could jump to conclusions. "Hisaoooo... Ew. NO. I didn't drop the soap, or anything. I thought I told you I still had my dignity? No, I'm not gay. You just gotta look at things from my perspective here."

Hisao paused. Honestly, He probably _would _have just assumed, based on their past interactions plus the conversation at the moment, that his friend was gay. But then, he started to really think about being Mikaru for a moment.

_Well, first things first. I'm an ex-con, no matter whether I actually did anything wrong. So, that's strike one. Next, I'm a good, honourable guy. While I do speak of... 'conquests', most of them weren't really all that sexual, and none of what I did was disrespectful in my culture. Strike two, down. Finally... Well, I'm Ill-Equipped. I have no hands. Sure, I'm 'cut like a muther', but that's something I can't get past. Well, that Mikaru can't get past. Or his supposed girlfriend... Conquest... Whatever this hypothetical woman is to him. Foreplay is pretty one sided, I'd imagine... wait. NO! STOP! OH KAMI! Am I secretly gay, but just don't know it yet? Did my heart give out because it realized it was gay, and couldn't handle the shock? _

_... Boobs. _

_... Wait, no I'm not. Oh, thank the Kamis._

"... Hisao? _Hi-Saaaaoooooo_..."

"WHAT?! I'M NOT GAY, I SWEAR!"

A thoroughly awkward silence filled the air. Both boys stopped in their place, Mikaru just staring at Hisao like he had grown a third head. Hisao, on the other hand just looked... well...

_I guess I'll have to get used to that face, t_hought Mikaru.

Then, after a couple moments, Mikaru broke the silence, a cheeky grin plastered onto his face like a cream pie thrown at a clown.

"It's OK, Hisao... _I don't blame you for a minute_. Hell, if _I_ saw me, I might consider switching teams too."

Hisao knew he was kidding, though, so he just doubled over with laughter. Mikaru joined him, but for his burden, he would refrain from doubling over.

"Shut up, Jackass. Fucking prick..."

Mikaru's eyes lit up with delight, and he extended his arm out to Hisao to help him up. Hisao reached up, getting pulled (More like _thrown_) to his feet. Dusting himself off, and letting his chuckle die, he let out a happy sigh and picked the handle to the suitcase off of the ground.

"Hey, we're burning daylight Hisao. Let's get going."

Hisao chuckled, and followed him inside the building. Arriving at the mailboxes, he took the key he was given from administration, and opened his up. Tucked inside the door to the mailbox was a small, silver key, with a lanyard attached. He grabbed it, as well as the single, plain envelope within, and closed the mailbox, locking it behind him. He turned to leave, only to see Mikaru, standing motionless across the room from him, his back turned. _Why would.. .Oh. OH. _

"... Mikaru?"

The boy sighed, turning away from the mailboxes, but kept his eyes to the ground. Wordlessly, Hisao put the things he was carrying down, grabbing a lanyard that hung from Mikaru's neck, pulling his mail key out of the boy's shirt. Wordlessly, he turned away from Mikaru, towards the mailboxes. Doing the same, he opened the mailbox. He saw three small envelopes, a manilla envelope, and the same kind of key from before. Thinking quickly, he grabbed the key from the box, unhooking it from it's original lanyard, and securing it firmly onto the mail lanyard that he had. It was worn, he noticed, with a rainbow pattern running across it. _Strange thing for a guy like him to have..._

He shook the thought off, closing and subsequently locking the mailbox and turning back to Mikaru. In a rare display of sadness, his eyes were still downcast, refusing to meet Hisao's. Hisao punched him in the shoulder with some force, bringing Mikaru's eyes to meet his. "Hey... Don't start this shit, man. You got this. _You got this. _Right?"

Mikaru's eyes brightened a little, and Hisao put the lanyard around his neck. Mikaru's eyes glinted again, and he smiled. "Yeah... Yeah! _I fucking got this, _Hisao! You're right! We're gonna kick some ass! Right?"

Hisao couldn't help but smile at his friend. '_Bro-oo-mance... ain't nothing gay about it...' _Hisao chuckled at the thought, and stuck his hand out. Mikaru instantly put his arm up, and they... well, Hisao... clasped his forearm. "You got it, Mikaru. You're absolutely right."

They parted, and headed for the elevator.

...

... ...

... ... ...

_Wait._

"Hey, Mikaru? Don't wanna pry or anything, but... how much do you weigh?"

Mikaru was looking around, just following Hisao, but snapped to attention and turned to him. "What's that supposed to mean? I'm not fat!"

Hisao facepalmed, an action that Mikaru actually appreciated despite his disability, and turned to him. "... Dude. You're not fat. I'm not saying you're fat. It's the elevator. It's only got an 1100 kilo weight capacity. We've got like, 900 kilos of crap between us, and I'm 110 kilos, so that's 1010."

Mikaru didn't even need to think to respond. "Aaaahhhh. Right. Gotcha. You go first. I'm room 120, end of the hall apparently. I can handle this until you get back." He grinned at Hisao, and Hisao sighed and shook his head, going in when the elevator arrived.

After a couple minutes, Hisao saw Mikaru coming out of the elevator, followed by a guy who was about the same height and dressed in red shorts and a white t-shirt. He had black hair, and a bit of a dazed look on his face. Mikaru, on the other hand, looked a little less than pleased, and strode silently over to Hisao. Without looking at him, he said "Hisao. Lanyard. NOW."

Raising an eyebrow at his curt mood, he complied, unlocking the door and turning the handle, letting the disgruntled boy through. He followed afterwards, not even bothering to drag the suitcase anymore. Setting it beside the bed (which, by the way, was bigger than his, but he just assumed it was to accommodate for Mikaru's bulk), he turned to Mikaru, the question burning in his eyes. "Mikaru?"

Mikaru let out a sigh, and looked up at him, still displeased, but definitely not in a threatening way.

"Did you see Mr. 'Shorts and Smiles' behind me?"

Hisao nodded.

"Yeah, he looked like some sort of gym dude, or whatever. Looked a little... distracted, though. Why?"

Mikaru laid back, putting his arms behind his head, looking no less comfortable than he did before. It took a moment, but he spoke, and when he did, it took Hisao everything he had to resist laughing.

"... He's the track and field team's captain. My suggestion? If you value your dignity as much as I do... Don't do track. EVER."

After they got Mikaru settled in, it dawned on them that maybe, _just maybe_, they were forgetting an appointment they had with their new homeroom teacher in the lobby. It may also have dawned on Hisao that it was _entirely Mikaru's stupid fault_, but he chose to omit that fact from his thoughts, just this once.

They went to the lobby, only to find it completely deserted. Panicking, they ran up the stairs, only to have Hisao falter because of his heart. "Mi-_Mikaru... _Oh, shit..."

Mikaru turned on a dime, grabbing Hisao by the legs and fireman-carrying him up the stairs, and down the hall towards their classroom. Setting him down, they set off at a brisk jog, Hisao panting as he entered behind Mikaru.

Immediately, every single eye in the room came upon them, like the fiery wrath of a thousand angry gods who had just stubbed their toes on the heaviest thing imaginable. The teacher at the front looked up at them, with an almost bored, but no less menacing glare. "Ah, there you two are. I was worried for a moment... Worried that you may actually be _good students_, that is. Before introductions, care to explain?"

Hisao was blushing like a madman, completely embarrassed and ashamed. Silently, he vehemently swore to himself that someday, _some day _he would be bigger than Mikaru. And on that day, he would have his revenge.

Mikaru, however, had that same, cheeky, amused glint in his eye, and Hisao stopped his thoughts of vengeance when a different kind of dread came over him.

_Oh._

_GOD. _

_NO._

Mikaru looked back at Hisao, and all that could cross his mind was _How is he reading my mind? He can't possibly think that he can get us outta this. Wait. I know that look. I KNOW that look. Dammit._

"Please, sir. _Let me explain. _You see..."

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><p>End of Chapter Two: Behind These Bars, An Accident and a Mistake!<p>

Next Time! Chapter Three: Behind These Bars, The Con and the Lady Killer!


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three: Behind These Bars, The Con and the Lady Killer!**

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><p>Everyone's eyes glanced expectantly between Hisao, Mikaru, and the Teacher, as they waited for the Teacher to respond.<p>

"... I'm listening."

Mikaru grinned, and he pulled his stubs out of his sweater pockets (Which, by the way, was NOT considered 'uniform'). Turning to the class, whom had almost all focused entirely on Mikaru, he started.

"Alright, first things first. My name is Kanasu Mikaru... And I'm an alcoholic."

The teens around the room snickered at his joke. The Teacher, of course, was _not_ amused.

"My hobbies range from, but are not limited to... Long walks on the beach, being shirtless, doing backflips, any combination of the first three things, -"

The entire class had a good, droning laugh going at his words. Mikaru was practically _feeding _off of the attention. So, he continued, without a pause.

"- Saving Damsels in Distress (Which, by the way, may also be done while being shirtless, during the process of a backflip, whilst walking on the beach, or any combination of those things), -"

The females of the room started giggling, their eyes lighting up at the though of a shirtless, hand-less, back-flipping, beach-treading foreign hunk doing these things. The guys also got a kick out of the comment, if only because of it's smoothness.

"- Martial arts (In case you were wondering, I know six), being awesome, and my personal favourite, my job. I am a computer programmer. Now, as amazing as I may be..."

At this point, not even the teacher bothered to feign disinterest, everyone waiting on baited breath for the next part of his charismatic performance to continue.

"... _This guy?_ He's something _else_. ABSOLUTE lady killer. His Name's Nakai Hisao, and his hobbies include being a heartthrob -" The subtle jab at his friend went unnoticed by everyone else, but Hisao just hung his shoulders, resigning himself to his fate. "- Reminiscing about the good old days, when he would save the world from evil with his smouldering gaze, playing soccer, and also... being the Master of the Feels."

Everyone was looking between them now, incredulously. Mikaru looked back, continuing his tale.

"Oh, yes, ladies. He's available, and he's a great big _puzzle-box_ of mystery and wonder, just waiting for the right girl to take a peek. Oh, and he's funny too."

The teacher grabbed the bridge of his nose, sighing and shaking his head. The girls were whispering excitedly, and the guys were sizing him up.

"I see you guys, eyeing the prey. Don't bother. That's what I'm here for: I'm his body guard!"

He looked back, grinning, and Hisao looked up, stunned. _What?_

"... And that's where our story begins. You see, I wasn't always his body guard. A long time ago, about..." Mikaru looked down at his watch, pretending to be deep in thought. He snapped up, launching into the rest of the story. "... Exactly two hours ago, I met Hisao in the town. You see, our little puzzle-box here has a terrible addiction. Oh yes, an addiction so cruel, so unfair, that it breaks the minds and bodies of ANY who come before it! What addiction is that, you ask? It's simple. Our friend here..."

Lean forward.

"Is suffering..."

Everyone is leaning now, entranced by the tale.

"... From a terrifying Ramen Addiction!"

The teacher face-palmed, and everyone else burst into laughter.

"It may sound funny, but sadly it was _true_. It _was_... until today."

Everyone leaned forward again. Desks moved around the mysterious duo. The teacher, for argument's sake, listened as well.

"Hisao was in town, you see, to satiate his desires for Ramen. He was a mess. Hot on the heels of his latest heartbreak, he was _tragically_ searching for that one thing that could mend his broken heart, and make him whole again. So, naturally, wrapped in his despair, unable to cope with life, he found himself lost. He is, after all, new in town. He journeyed for a long time, searching every street, every stall and shop for that one thing that he needed to survive, when he came across the convenience store situated just down this road, in fact. Within, he found his prize, and purchased as much as he could afford. Striding out, with over 78 Kilograms of ramen in tow, he started his journey to this place. This, mind you, is where _I _come in."

He flourished his eyebrows, and everyone giggled, even the guys.

"For, at heart, even though I am a man of solitude and self-denial, I am compassionate beyond compassion, and honourable beyond honour! Seeing him, struggling to carry his great burden, seemingly softened my heart, and it was at that moment in my life that I realized the error of my ways: I could no longer deny myself; for denying myself -" Pause, for dramatic effect "- Is to deny the WORLD!"

The laughter coming from the teacher was faint, but definitely there. Hisao thought that, _Even if this story is horse shit, It may just work. My god..._

"With this revelation, I bent down before the trembling, crawling husk of a man and said 'You there! Beacon of light and hope in a hopeless and cruel world, do you require assistance with your burden? For, even though I know not myself any longer, I may hope to one day learn from your actions and glorious example!'"

He was practically preaching now, fire in his eyes. Hisao wondered if, maybe... this was all true. In his eyes, at least. Maybe... if he could live like Mikaru did, then he would understand. He pondered as the boy continued his tale of chivalry.

"... And Hisao, in his infinite kindness and wisdom, looked up to me and said 'Yeah, sure. I don't care. I think I need the help anyway.'"

_Thank GOD he didn't make me out to be some crazy pompous fool like himself._

"So, I bent down, to pick him onto his feet, and I raised him up, but LO! As I removed his burden from him, a terrible, terrible thing took place."

The class held their breaths, waiting on his next words.

"When the ramen was removed from his back... RAMEN BANDITS STRUCK!"

He exclaimed that with fervour and force, so much so that, just for a moment, even the teacher looked like he believed. The moment ended though, and he started to shake his head at the ridiculousness of it all.

"There were twelve of them! Each and every one a poor, depraved soul, with weapons akimbo and the hellfires ablaze in their maniacal gazes! And they attacked! We were surrounded. They approached us slowly -"

_... Something isn't right..._

"- '_You stupid little punk',_ they said. '_You should learn not to put your nose where it hurts._' They lashed out, grabbing my shoulders, and then -"

"- And then, we thrashed them!"

Everyone looked up at Hisao in surprise. He continued without letting Mikaru speak, hand firmly clamped on his shoulder.

"Well, Mikaru did. It was incredible. He moved like water, and struck like lightning. They never stood a chance. I even took one down myself. Right, Mikaru?"

Mikaru looked back at Hisao, dazed. He was lost. Very quickly, however, he came to, and turned back.

"That is absolutely right. However, one of the bandits got away. The one that Hisao got, actually."

His voice was much, much quieter now.

"They took... the Ramen. And they ran. We... we helped each other get back here. And that's how we became friends, and why we are so terribly late for class today. Gomen, Sensei."

He turned to the teacher, and bowed. The teacher was about to say something, but looked at Hisao. Hisao had a pleading look in his eyes, and a very subtle look of realization came over him. It was gone in an instant.

"... That was the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard in my life, Mr. Kanasu. However, that is not a bad thing. Class, -"

He turned to the others, speaking to them.

"- Remember this day, and this story. _This _is what it takes to make up for this. I don't want some halfhearted apology if you are inexcusably late. This is, however -"

The teacher looked back to Hisao and Mikaru, whom was still in a deep bow.

"- Not something I'd like to make a habit of. Is that understood?"

Mikaru looked up, still quiet, but nodded. Hisao spoke then.

"Yes, sir. Now, I think that my friend has exhausted himself. He may need to step outside for a moment and... take a breather. I would be more than willing to get his notes for him, however."

The Teacher studied the two of them. After a short period of deliberation, he spoke.

"Please, Call me Mr. Mutou. And, yes, I think that would be for the best. You are excused, Mikaru."

A false smile placed it's self onto his lips. It was, however, very convincing.

"Gomen, sir. And please," He lifted his arms to punctuate his words, turning to everyone else as well.

"Call me... Stubbs."

He left then, and the others were abuzz, moving their desks, oblivious to what _actually _just occurred in front of their noses. Mr. Mutou, moved quickly, taking me aside, and started in a hushed tone.

"Hisao, I take it you know something about what just happened."

Hisao nodded, and spoke.

"Well, I certainly know why we were actually late, but... _That... _was unexpected. He seemed to regress, sir, but I'm not actually sure. I really don't know him all that well, but..."

Mr. Mutou nodded, and continued.

"Well, you're already acquainted with him. Go outside. If he's still near the classroom, please ask him to accompany the girl with long black hair to the library. Her name is Ikezawa Hanako. I'd imagine that she was a little uncomfortable with this as well."

He nodded, and turned to leave. As he did, a girl he hadn't noticed previously looked at Mr. Mutou, and quickly skirted the others to speak with him outside. "Mikaru?" He looked around, finding him in a corner by a window down the hall. "Mikaru... _are you OK?_"

He looked up at Hisao, a little empty, but nodded. He stood up, albeit a little weakly, and spoke. His voice was soft, but firm. "You noticed."

Hisao gave a small nod, but nothing more.

"... _That wasn't supposed to go down like that._"

Hisao stepped forward. "But, it didn't, did it? No one else, except Mr. Mutou and a girl named Ikezawa Hanako, noticed. You're gonna be ok. _You got this_, right?"

Mikaru let out something between a dark chuckle and a scoff, and spoke. "Kheh. Yeah, I do. Hey..."

He put his arm up, as if to grab my arm, but stopped. He paused only briefly, but lowered his arm when I got the message. "... _Thank you._"

Hisao nodded, and gave a small smile. Just then, Mikaru's eyes flicked over Hisao's shoulder, and He heard a small, timid voice. "Hi - Hisao? M – M – M – Mikaru?"

Hisao was about to turn, but a look in Mikaru's eyes told Hisao not to, not yet. He stepped past him, and he heard his footfalls soften as he approached the mystery girl.

"Are you Ikezawa Hanako?" Mikaru's voice was soft, measured, and warm. Something Hisao never thought that he would ever hear.

A slight pause.

"Y-yes... Mr. Mutou s – said that -"

"Hanako... _Is this what you want?_" Mikaru was even softer then. Hisao was unsure as to what exactly was going on, but he had a feeling like it was earth-shatteringly important, and that he should never, _ever _forget it.

... a large pause.

Then, a voice as soft as silk, and as quiet as the slightest of breezes.

"Y-..._Yes._"

A few moments went by, then Mikaru spoke.

"Hisao, maybe you should meet Hanako as well. I'm sure that she is interested."

Hisao turned to her, and noticed the way that her eyes widened. Through his peripheral vision, he took in all that he could of her scars, and said nothing. He decided to wait for her to speak, but only because Mikaru did.

"H-hello, Hisao."

Hisao smiled.

"Hi, Hanako. It was nice meeting you."

He then turned away, back to the window. _Yep, no clue. Oh well, I guess everyone's got a heart, after all. This guy... I don't think I'm EVER going to understand him. _

_- I just hope he knows what he's doing._

* * *

><p>End of Chapter 3: Behind These Bars, The Con and The Lady Killer!<p>

Next Time! Chapter Four: Behind These Bars, Story Time with Mr. Stubbs!


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four: Behind These Bars, Story Time with Mr. Stubbs!**

* * *

><p><em>Hisao stayed behind. I am unsure as to why. <em>

_I thought he'd be interested as well._

_Oh, well. _

_Maybe he isn't ready to hear it._

_Or maybe it scares him just as much as it scares myself._

_Either way, I'm glad. But, Curious. _

_Hisao seemed like a curious person, too..._

_But, it seems that Hanako is the most curious one of us all._

_There's something in her, I'm sure of it. Something even she doesn't see. But, I do. _

_I always notice this stuff._

_Like how Mr. Nakai thought that I was going to murder his son when he left. _

_Or how Mrs. Nakai wants nothing more than to have been born and raised in America, if only because she could run away from him without fear. _

_Or, even, how Hisao himself was just as desperate for a friend as I was. _

_Of course, it's all thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Teito. All of it. _

- My personal string of musings is broken, as I notice Hanako staring up at me through my peripheral vision. I don't look, however.

_This is something else I know. She doesn't know how to ask for what she really wants. I've seen her type before._

_She is the girl that stares at me, eyes wide and teary, as the monster with the cleaver steals her innocence. _

_She is the lonely child, whom found my broken and bloody body the next day._

_She is the face I'll never remember, and the eyes I'll never forget._

_She is -_

"M – Mikaru?"

Then, and only then, do I look at her. "Yes, Hanako?"

Hey eyes widen, and she gulps. "Do... Do... Do you really want to... to go to the Library... with... with me?"

I give her the slightest of grins. She notices.

"Hanako, what you and I do – or do not do – is entirely up to you. Is the Library where you want to go?"

She pauses, thinking. I slowly walk ahead, knowing that she won't stop long.

Making up her mind, she catches up. I slow down.

"Y-yes."

"And do you want me in the Library when you are there?"

She doesn't stop this time, but looks down, weighing the options. Looking down still, she speaks.

"... Why?"

I give her a second, and then respond slowly.

"Because you are curious. Are you not?"

We continue walking. She takes less time to answer that question that the others.

"... Yes."

I start to lag behind her a little. A group of students walks up the hall, and she stops for a moment, deciding that walking behind me would be infinitely better than walking in front of me.

I don't change my gait. Instead, I put on my usual 'Happy go lucky' face and grin at the girls.

They see me, and blush, turning away and speeding past us. They had no clue that Hanako was there.

When they turn the corner, Hanako comes out in front of me again.

"Th - thank you, Mi – Mikaru."

I nod, but say nothing.

I can't say anything to that. Why?

Because it's a lie, and I don't respond to lies.

- Besides, I didn't even do it for her. I did it for me. You can't say you did something for someone else when you did it for yourself.

A tug at my sleeve stops me.

"We – We're here, Mikaru. Are... Are you coming?"

"... Yes, Hanako."

We walk inside the library.

* * *

><p>**Meanwhile, with Hisao...**<p>

_... What am I going to do now?_

I stood at the top of the stairwell, thinking to myself about the things that happened today. It feels like I just experienced a week's worth of stuff in the space of an hour. It's... Unnerving.

_That's twice._

"Excuse me?"

I turn around fast, about to cry out, but I stop. I can't even gather my thoughts.

Before me stands a tall, beautiful girl. She has blonde hair, a little wavy, and a fine face. It reminds me vaguely of a porcelain doll with it's clarity and texture. Scanning down, I see that she has a generous bust, with a fairly wide set of hips and thin legs. My jaw drops, hinging off of my face like a broken shelf.

_She's... She's Perfect..._

"Hello? Is anyone there?"

I look up, confused for a minute, but see that her eyes are open, looking right at mine. They are a cloudy blue, like the colour of the ocean, but...

"H-Hello. Sorry; you startled me is all."

Her head snaps in my direction, and her feet turn her to face me properly. Now that I am looking more at her face, I see that she is definitely NOT Japanese, so most of the other things make sense, except her eyes, of course.

"Oh,! My apologies. Are you, by chance, blind as well?"

A slight smile graces her features. Part of me wants to lie, if only to stare at her a little longer.

"No, I'm... I'm not... Oh! Sorry, my name is Nakai Hisao. Who are you?"

She lifts her hand to her mouth, and stifles a giggle.

"Satou Lilly. You are... peculiar, Nakai Hisao. Tell me, when did you arrive here? I don't recognize anyone by that name. Are you a student here at Yamaku?"

I can't help but smile at the question. I'm not really sure why, though. If I'm completely honest, I'm not too sure about anything right now. All I really know is...

I have to eat lunch with this girl, if only once.

"It's... It's quite the tale, actually. If... If I'm not mistaken, lunch is in five minutes. If you are... interested, well... Maybe I could... Heh..."

She giggles out loud this time. It's a soft, even sound. Lilting. _Ok, Hisao. Seriously. Cut this crap out._

"... While I am sure that you aren't exactly interested in telling me, I would love to eat with you. It's been too long since I've heard a good story."

I beam at my luck, throwing a fist into the air as quietly as I can. She still notices though. She laughs again.

_Man, Mikaru had better be having as much luck as I am right now..._

* * *

><p><em>**Earlier<em>, back with Mikaru...**

... Hanako led me into the library, slowing only to check and see if the coast was clear. When she saw it's vacancy, she walked forward, still holding onto my sleeve, and leading me into the back. Once there, I see her destination. It's a pair of beanbag chairs, one purple and one green. She knows which one she wants, because she immediately sits in the purple one, letting go of my sleeve.

I sit in the green chair, coming down with an oddly satisfying _plop_. She looks up at the sound.

"Sorry; I couldn't slow myself down."

She grins a little, but it clears from her face as she looks down at her lap, wringing her hands.

She waits, wanting me to ask her what she wants again. But, I don't. I wait too; mostly because I'm not too keen on telling her, and if she _really_ wants to know, she'll ask eventually.

"Mi – Mikaru..."

I look at her, waiting for her to finish.

"Can... Can you finish your story?"

I raise my eyebrow at her, but comply anyway. In my normal voice, that is, the one I have only used with Hanako and Mrs. Teito, I start again where I left off.

"Well, as I said. The Ramen Bandits were coming after us. There were... 14 of them. They surrounded Hisao and myself, and I knew that my time was then, and I had to act. So, valiantly, I -"

"Not... Not that one."

I stop, and let out a sigh.

"... Are you certain? That one... isn't nearly as good as _The Plight of Hisao._"

She looks at me, for the first time since entering the library, and gives me a small, but delicate nod.

I sigh again, wishing desperately I had hands to brush across my face. After a moment, I begin. My voice is cold; it's not a voice I am proud of. I know where it came from, but I am unsure as to how it became _my _voice. I am ashamed.

"My name is Kanasu Mikaru. And I am an Ex - Convict."

* * *

><p>End of Chapter Four: Behind These Bars, Story time with Mr. Stubbs!<p>

Next Time! Chapter Five: Behind These Bars, With a Cold Heart and Heavy Hands!


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five: Behind These Bars, With a Cold Heart and Heavy Hands!**

* * *

><p>Hanako, for her part, did not flinch. However, she stared at me, unwilling to take her eyes off of me.<p>

"My Charges were... One Count... of attempted sexual assault. Four counts... of attempted murder. Three counts... of manslaughter. Six counts of Assault and Battery."

_I sincerely hope that this girl is ready for this. I cannot possibly stop now. _

"My sentence was given to me on -"

"- Was it your fault?"

"Excuse me?"

_Well, that's unexpected. Not to mention new._

"Was... _Was it your fault?_"

I look at her, right in the eyes. I let her see them, hoping she is as observant and smart as I am.

"It... It wasn't, was it? It's not... it's not you. Why... do you... do you say that it was?"

I sigh, closing my eyes.

"... If I were innocent, then they would tell me I was. I would not have been punished. I would..."

"_Stop."_

I look at her.

"Try... Try again."

I look at her once more, and look out the window, losing focus.

"My name is Michael Kanas. I am an Ex – Convict. My Charges are... I was falsely accused, and convicted, of... One count of Attempted Rape, four counts of Attempted Murder, three counts of Manslaughter, and... six counts of Assault and Battery."

I look to Hanako, who is still looking at me. She smiles a little, and nods.

"My sentence was passed down to me on the 14th of November, Five years ago. My sentence was 4 years without possibility of parole. I was sent to Juvenile Hall, and I stayed there. I was released, thanks to a mix up in my paperwork, only four months ago. After... not a lot of stuff, It was decided that I should come here, to... re-acclimatize myself to both High School life, as well as... see if I could truly be admitted back into society."

Hanako looked away for a moment. She turned back to me, and spoke, her voice barely above a whisper.

"And... and if they decide... you...?"

"Then... Then, they stick me... onto a boat. They send me... to Canada. And... And then... The Government of Canada decides... my... My Fate."

"How... how did... it... happen?" Hanako said, looking at me. She was certainly not happy about all this, and I have no idea what's going to happen after I tell her.

"This... is the real story. I was born in Canada. Raised there, for ten years. My mother got a job in Tokyo. My mother was happy. I was happy. Then, one night... We got into a fight. I told her that since it was her job to help people, I should... I should do it too. She said... she said no one wanted my help. I was thirteen. I had been taking martial arts lessons since I arrived; it's the only reason I came with her. So, I stormed out. I walked around a bit, frustrated. But..."

I looked away, remembering my mother's face on that night.

"I was always a big guy. So, when I heard the woman screaming in the alleyway... I... I..."

I stopped. I almost couldn't go on; the memories coming too fast.

... But, she wanted to know, and _God Dammit, I DON'T leave a job half finished._

I steeled myself, and looked back to her. She was still watching expectantly.

"I thought nothing of running in there. I did, actually, but not enough... _I was a fool_."

She started to shake her head, but I raised my arm. If I had a hand, it would be signalling her to stop. She got the message.

My next words were said in the most empty, cold voice I have ever heard, from anyone. They weren't new, but the way they sounded now... They might as well have been something someone else said. In a way, they were.

"... There were twelve of them. Each and every one... a poor, depraved soul, with weapons akimbo... and... the hellfires ablaze in their maniacal gazes. And they... attacked. We were... I was... surrounded. They approached me slowly. I looked at them, all of them. But one stood out. The Butcher."

I heard a sharp intake of breath, and Hanako's hand flew to her mouth. She looked like she didn't want to hear this, but she didn't turn away. She nodded, and my voice continued of it's own accord.

"I struck first. I hit one. He fell. As I turned to my rear, I accidentally stepped on the first's throat. A man behind me threw a kick, high, high above my head, coming down. I blocked. The force of the kick, it... it broke the man's neck. Then, the man who's kick I blocked, I used as a shield as a man to his right lunged, aiming for my ribs. He was going to cut out my heart. But, he cut the kicker's heart out instead. Then, the third. While the man's knife was in the other man's chest, I got thrown into him by a kick to the ribs. Those ribs broke on impact, and I collided with the heart-cutter. He fell over, and his own knife entered his neck. After that... All I remember for fifteen minutes is blinding pain. They cut me down and shredded me to ribbons. I'm just thankful that they left my face untouched. But then, after that... I looked up, only to see the woman still in the corner, terrified and crying to herself. They were ignoring her. I stared at her, and I tried to ask for help, but... She ran away. When she was gone, the Butcher..."

I stopped.

"W-What... What d – did the B – Butcher do?"

Hanako looked distraught. What happened next, I would not wish on anyone. So, I said the only thing I could.

"The Butcher... _The Butcher did his work._"

She sat there, silent and motionless for a while. Just staring at the ground.

I stood up to leave. I didn't want to, but I feared what would happen if I did otherwise. As I stood up though, her head snapped up to me, following me as I walked away. I was almost to the door, when...

"W- Wait, I said!"

I stopped, standing still.

_Shit._

I turned to face her.

"Your Eyes... There.. There isn't... Will... will it ever... will it... will..."

I turned away, intent on leaving again, when I heard her take a deep breath. She spoke, and although it was quiet, it was the clearest thing she had said until now.

"... _Will the love ever come back?_"

This, I thought, deserved an answer. I looked at her, determined to say something, but as I opened my mouth, nothing came out.

_Will the love ever come back?_

_Love. _

_What is... Love?_

_'Love is a four - letter word.'_

"... No."

She looked down. After a moment, she looked up to me, incredibly shy once more.

"That's... That's all... That's ok. I think... I think you're... I think you're really..."

I waited for almost a whole minute. Finally, she spoke. It was quiet, but it had a calming warmth to it. I knew she was unsure of saying the words she was saying, but I also knew they were the truth, and it was... warming. Soothing. Nice.

"... Brave. You're... You m – must be... Otherwise you... you wouldn't be... be... here, n – now."

I smiled at her. It wasn't fake, either. It felt strange, giving a real smile again. So foreign.

_Is this... Happiness? I can't believe I don't even know. Can I ever know? Maybe, I can't. But, if I can... _

She smiled at me. It was another timid, shy smile, but it was there. It was enough.

"Can I... Can we... W – would you L – like..."

I keep looking at her and she scrunches her eyes closed, clenching her fists at her sides, shaking. After a second of this, she explodes, not unlike a kettle, or volcano maybe.

"_Wouldyouliketobefriendswithme?_"

I smiled again, and I gave her a chuckle.

"Absolutely, Hanako. It would be my pleasure. Just... Don't get tired of me too easily, ne?"

I can see her blush a little, and she nods her head, seeming incapable of speaking.

"- Actually, I amend my previous statement. You look pretty tired of me now; would you like a pick me up? Some lunch, maybe?"

She looks up at me, confused, but after a second it goes away.

"N-No. I... I want..." She sighs. It's cute, I decide. A little... _too cute. _But, I don't have time to finish that though, as her next words hit my ears.

"I... I want you... to... to meet my f - friend."

I smile at her, and give her a rare wink. Well, that's only half-true. '_Face-me'_ winks all the time. REAL me, on the other hand, hasn't winked for three months. _Well, on the other ha.- fuck. Stop, dammit!_

"I guess I will be following you, then."

She blushes, and pushes past me, giving my sleeve the slightest of tugs as she does. I follow her out the door.

* * *

><p>End of Chapter Five: Behind These Bars, With a Cold Heart and Heavy Hands!<p>

Next Time! Chapter Six: Behind These Bars, Lunch and Then Some!


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six: Behind These Bars, Lunch and Then Some!**

_I hope that Hanako's friend is nice... _Michael thought, before continuing, _Or I'm afraid that my verdict's going to come early._

They stopped, and Hanako turned to Michael, putting a hand on his chest. It was in no way intimate, but more a means to communicate by.

_Don't come in yet. I need to work this out. _

Michael gave a smile and a nod, before saying "Hanako."

She was about to turn away, but stopped at his voice.

"I'm... I'm going to be different when I go in there. You understand, right?"

She looked a little worried, but covered it up by lowering her gaze to her hand on his chest.

"Will... Will you be...?"

"No, but I'm still me. In there."

She knew where he was talking about; her hand rested over it. She gave a little nod, steeling herself in her own way, before opening the door.

"... Lilly?"

She froze, and tensed up a bit, before an excited, yet even and calm voice rang back to her.

"Ah, Hanako. I was wondering if you were going to show up. You've met Hisao, have you not?"

Hanako's head turned to Hisao slowly, before turning back and managing a nod, and a small "Yes."

Lilly waited for a moment, but frowned after hearing nothing for a few moments.

"L – Lilly? I... I wanted... I wanted to... know if... if... you'd mind if... I – I brought Someone... To... lunch, T – today."

There was silence for a moment, before Hisao started laughing quietly, and Lilly said "Of course, Hanako. Why don't you introduce us?"

Michael heard the laughter, but waited for Hanako to turn back. She looked at him, before he looked down one more time, closed his eyes and took a deep breath...

Mikaru opened his eyes, a large, cocky grin on his face. He looked at the girl before him, and beamed.

"Come on, Hanako. Let me in! Hisaoooo! Is that you?"

Hanako let out a tiny 'Eeep!' before shooting into the room, and Mikaru followed him in. He took a large, sweeping gaze, noting Hisao's concern – filled face, before resting them on Lilly, the only other person in the Room. He strode over confidently, kneeling alongside the table.

"You must be Lilly, I presume! It's hardly fair that I know that though. Hisao! Introduce us!"

Hisao balked briefly, before letting out a defeated sigh, and putting a smile back onto his face.

"Lilly, this is my friend Kanasu Mikaru. He's... a little exuberant, but he's the strongest guy in the school. That's to be expected. He's a little Cocky, but he's... an outstanding individual. Mikaru -"

Hisao gave him a glare that said _'You know death comes to my enemies; Back off!'_

Mikaru beamed, and shuffled back an inch for Hisao's sake.

"This is Lilly Satou. She's a very kind person, a wonderful conversationalist, and makes delectable tea."

Lilly blushed a bit, but turned her head towards Mikaru and extended her hand to shake it. Hisao blanched and Hanako froze, but Mikaru was quick and confident. Lifting one forearm, he used it to manoeuvre Lilly's hand to clasp his other one. He gave his signature "Hand Shake", and Lilly almost looked like she could die from embarrassment. Before she could say anything, though, Mikaru cut in.

"You'll forgive me, but I'm a pretty blunt person. You're blind, so I couldn't reasonably expect you to know that I have exactly zero hands. The point is moot, though, because I was going to shake your hand anyway." The shake ended after his sentence did. She blushed some more.

"Um, Uh... _that wasn't your leg?_"

The boys burst out into laughter. Lilly flinched, appearing frazzled for a second, before she too, joined in the laughter. Hanako gave the tiniest of laughs, if only because the tension was no longer in the air and she could breathe again.

The laughter died slowly, in a comfortable manner, before Lilly looked pensive. Hisao was a little confused, but Mikaru was just patient, looking back and forth between Hanako and Hisao. After a short while though, and another sip of her tea however, she spoke.

"Mikaru, it seems that we are in a bit of a quandary."

Mikaru raised his brow, before realizing it's futility and spoke. "Oh? I don't see a problem."

Hisao twitched a bit, likely because of his use of the word "See", but said nothing. Lilly smirked a bit, and responded. "... Well, WE have plenty of food here, and I would be happy to share it with you, but... you see, I haven't yet been able to serve a hand-less person. I am at a loss as to how."

Mikaru looked seriously down at the rather full platter of sandwiches, appearing pensive for a moment. Then looked up at Lilly and spoke.

"Well, Lilly, I'm going to be blunt again. Actually, before that. Can we agree that, from here on out, pretty much anything I say should be understood to be proceeded by 'to be blunt' or any other derivative term, and also imply the inevitable apologies? It's like walking on eggshells. I don't like eggs."

Lilly gave a pleasant chuckle, before an easygoing nod was given. "I believe I would prefer that arrangement as well. Proceed."

Mikaru smiled. He knew that the smile came through verbally, and Lilly was _very_ attentive.

"You see, I am a large guy. By no means fat, but I could easily eat your weight in food in about three days, and it would leave me hungry. And, besides that, where I come from, the guest DOES NOT impose. While, were it my party, I would almost _invite_ you to impose, as I have no personal space of my own volition, While I am at someone else's, I would hope that a simple 'No thanks, I will serve myself at a later time' would be sufficient to both allay your concerns, and satisfy your obligations."

She waited for a moment, seemingly weighing the words in her mind before a pleasant smile graced her features. She spoke to me in English next, mildly surprising me.

"You are a tough nut to crack, Michael. I would like to speak to you later, if that would be all right."

"Yes, Mam."

They switched back to Japanese, leaving a confused Hisao and a flustered Hanako.

Lilly spoke first, putting both at ease. "I apologize for that; I haven't spoken English in a long time. The prospect of having even a small conversation was too good to pass up."

After that, some light conversing ensued, followed by comfortable silence. Eventually, Hisao noticed the time, and looked to Lilly.

"Lilly, we have about ten minutes until class starts."

Lilly gave a small smile. "Ah, is that so? Then I'm afraid our time is up. This was... pleasant. I do hope we get to do this again soon."

Hanako smiled, but Mikaru did not.

Lilly, although _very good _at concealing her body language when she wanted to, was NOT good enough to fool Mikaru. Additionally, her speaking English, in the middle of a conversation with fluent Japanese speakers, specifically meant that she didn't really want the conversation to be a known thing. He suspected that she meant to speak with him now... and he thought he knew why.

As the others prepared to leave Lilly confirmed her suspicions. "Hisao, Hanako, could you please head forward to class? I suspect that Mikaru and I have the best chance of cleaning this up without getting in trouble. "

Hisao glanced between the two of us, but nodded. Hanako remained impassive, and nodded in his direction, before muttering a small 'goodbye' and taking her leave.

After the two left, Mikaru decided to bite the bullet. They spoke in English, so no one would eaves drop. "Lilly, I shall go close the door now; is this agreeable?"

She froze for a second, before nodding stiffly. He got up, and closed the door. When he turned around, Lilly was standing, cutting an imposing figure before him. He did not flinch.

"You... are an enigma. And you'd better believe that I will _not _tolerate this, Michael Kanas."


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Eight: Behind These Bars, a Shameless Inquisition!**

* * *

><p><em>No more bullshit <em>I thought darkly, as I came to rest before her, kneeling once more upon the ground.

"Please, Ms. Satou, take a seat. We have much to discuss."

She came to rest immediately. It was businesslike, sharp, and efficient. There was no lying here; This woman was _pissed_, and I was on thin ice.

Lilly sat still, fuming to herself while trying to assemble her thoughts, before starting in a calm, cold, not – Lilly voice.

"How did you get here?"

"I drove."

Lilly froze for a moment, before she continued.

"I had family on that case, you know. You should be _buried _for what you did. Ashamed. And yet, here you are, living a farce of an existence, and now... you're here, and in the company of my best friend no less."

This is... _Outrageous. Infuriating._

_... Intriguing._

_She knows who I am. She knows what I – supposedly – did. And yet, she told me who she was, and how she was connected. Despite this... She's not stupid... Maybe..._

"It's strange, isn't it? That they let _this_ _monster _out upon _your school_. And a hungry one, at that. You're a smart girl, Lilly. I'm certain you have thoughts on this matter."

She froze for a moment, before she backpedalled and went down another road.

"Is this supposed to be _funny_? If i knew where I was pointing, I would spit at you."

I adjusted my position, sitting directly in front of her.

"I moved."

She froze, unable to think of something to do in this situation. So, I went on the offensive.

"You offend me, Ms. Satou. To think I am not even worthy of _the spittle between your lips,_ let alone the benefit of the doubt, no matter _what circumstance _you may be in, even without your knowing."

She spat at that, glaring as best as a blind girl could.

"Keep going, _Lilly_. I'm sure that, _eventually_, you'll start to make some progress here."

Her hands were shaking, now. I used my forearm to guide her hand to my face. She was petrified, until she realized what I did, a look of disgust came across her features and she slapped me across my face.

"You... _you... _You animal!"

She was seething now. I had reached my goal, and it was time to lay down my chips.

"... are you satisfied now?"

My voice was no longer the arrogant, dark one I used during the argument, but it was the one I used when telling my story to Hanako. It was empty, devoid of anything good, and it did exactly what it needed to.

She paused, immediately taken aback at just how _broken _I sounded.

"... when you thought of me... what did your mind envision, Lilly? I've heard some people tell me that they thought of... of everything dark in the world. That there was no good in my soul. Even if what they say about me was true... could there really be _no _hallowed ground? _No_ honour?"

Lilly's face was screwed up with confusion, unable to keep a firm image of me in her mind anymore.

"What... _Just what is this?_"

I continued, not willing to give up even if she cried. Because, no matter who's tears it causes, I will _Not _be called a rapist.

"This, Lilly, _is your fault_. Your family did this to me. You seem to be the only one who will listen to me, so listen well. You see, I wasn't actually guilty of _anything_, aside from self defence. What _happened_, was that the man _your family_ was paid to protect tried to rape a young woman on the streets. When myself, a confused, angry boy of _thirteen years old_, tried to save her, I was surrounded by twelve men, and slashed to ribbons with knives and beaten soft with metal clubs. Then, when all was said and done, and they took my joy from me... Your family was there, to pick up the slack on my noose. I was condemned, no longer having a family or reason to live, because I tried to do the right thing, and your father took a pay cheque."

She was crying now. She couldn't help but sob. Her hand was over her mouth, and she was bent over, unable to cope with this information.

"But you know what the kicker is?"

She turned her head up to me, still crying.

"... _I forgive you._"

She stopped, her tears flowing still, but with a choke she spoke.

"_W – Whaa_?"

She had her body in my direction, trying her hardest to pay attention to everything she could, afraid to miss what could be the most important conversation she's ever been in.

Ignoring her sobs, I continued.

"Lilly, Despite everything I had to go through... _Despite losing everything I ever loved and then some... I forgive you. Why?_"

She stopped breathing now, almost as if she could _see_ who I really was, and I decided to speak.

"- _Because you listened, Lilly. And even if you don't believe me, that's enough._"

If she weren't out of tears, she would have cried all over again. Hyperventilating, she tried to speak.

"But – But – What can – _What could possibly give you back that time? How could that heal that wound?_"

I paused, letting her collect herself before I spoke again.

"Lilly, Forgiveness isn't about taking the bad out of life. It's about accepting it, and moving forward in spite of it. So, What about us? All of us? Can we move forward from here?"

She paused, simmering in the words I spoke. Like they were something she needed to hear all her life, but at the same time, didn't know she needed until now.

After a moment more, she spoke, slowly, timidly, but definitely calm. It was strangely warm; and it was laboured, but it would take time. I knew that, so I took the words for what they were.

"... I believe so. I believe... I believe that that was exactly what I was hoping to hear. Hoping beyond hope. Hanako is... dear to me. So very, very dear. I couldn't stand the thought of her being helpless to fight against... against you. But... I think that..."

I chuckled a little, interrupting her train of thought.

"- Slow down, Lilly. Rome wasn't built in a day. You don't have to say anything on this. In my mind, as long as you do what you need to, and make sure that you can live with the decision you make, no matter what it is, it'll be enough. I guess, though... I need to say this. I'm not sure exactly who this helps more here, but it needs to be said."

I rested my stump on her hand, which sat on her knee. She turned her ear to me, waiting.

"... I promise, no matter what kind of person I truly am, or what kind of person you view me to be, that so long as I breathe, I won't let myself or anyone else hurt your family. And Hanako is a part of that too."

She let out a breath, and stood slowly. She chewed on my words for three minutes, coming up with the best course of action.

"... I choose... to believe in you, Mikaru. I think I understand now. I just... I have something to say as well."

I listen, as she brings her hands up my chest, resting them on my cheeks softly. It is not the touch of a lover; it is the touch of a friend. I am okay with that.

"I know it means little to you, but... I am truly sorry. For anything I could possibly be sorry for, I am."

I smile. She feels the muscles of my face move, and smiles as well.

"... My name is Kanasu Mikaru. I am six feet-seven inches tall, I have blue, green and copper eyes, no hands and weigh 325 pounds."

Lilly giggles softly, and says, "My name is Satou Lilly. I apparently have milky blue eyes, I stand five feet, seven inches tall, can't see, and weigh 130 pounds. You may call me Lilly. What may I call you?"

I give her a friendly hug, and say softly "Stubbs... Call me Stubbs."

I poked my head out of the door, scanning briefly, Lilly's fingers wrapped around my forearm. Seeing that the coast is clear, I pull her softly out of the room, and point her in – What I hope is – The right direction. She bids me a soft farewell, and I turn away, saying my own before I walk away, lost in myself. _That was... surprisingly successful. An older me would have relished the thought of meeting such a kindhearted, passionate person. Myself, However... _

I was concerned.

While I was certain that crossing that bridge could only be a good thing for the four of us, at the same time, I find that it's that kind, accepting nature that could, one day, be our undoing. _I know, no matter what anyone else says, that I am a good person, and that I wouldn't let anything happen to those people. But what if a real monster finds us? Someone whom wears the skin of a man or woman, but inside, has a heart of ash? I don't know if I can protect them from something like that. _

Lost in my musings, I failed to see the flash of pink before it collided with me. I staggered back three paces. When I regained my bearings, I saw the offending projectile.

_... Huh._

That 'Offending Projectile' was a girl. A tiny one. With no legs, no less. I let out a bit of a chuckle at her sorry state, despite myself. She was a Mess! If it were anyone else, I'm certain that she'd be fine. Unfortunately, she managed to find the one person in this whole school who could actually do their laundry on their abs, and had won numerous 'Brick Wall' competitions in the past (which consisted of finding the biggest, most gnarly dudes on the yard and playing football)... single – handed. No- handed? _Whatever. _

Pulling myself from my musings I notice the girl has regained consciousness, calling out to no one in particular. "Who the hell left this stupid trolley here! I could have gotten hurt!"

I laugh, and she looks up at me for the first time. I extend an arm to her. "You're right. _You could _have gotten hurt. You _were _out cold, after all. How does one go about finding the biggest, heaviest guy in the _whole school_, right when he's distracted the most, at the _best _possible moment, and still manage to collide with him – all with a head start, no less – and _still lose?_"

I smirked at her as several emotions danced around her at once. Most of them angry. Some of them... not so angry.

With a growl, she grabbed my arm and _yanked _herself into the air, somehow managing to right her useless legs in the process, only to land with a heavy _THUD_.

"You are... Probably the most infuriating, stupid, hard-headed jerk-wad I've Ever MET!"

She took a moment to glare at me. I left my confident smirk right where it was, having a good idea of where this conversation was going – at least, a little bit.

After glaring at me for ten more slow, silent seconds (Ten seconds of uninterrupted eye contact, with me? That was NOT smart of her.), she blushed, gave off what looked like a strong contender for the most manipulative, effective, and cutest pout _ever_, looked to the side, and said, "... It's a good thing you're cute, buddy, or I'd have to hold a grudge."

I bit back my laughter, giving off a flirty, challenging smile in response. "... That has got to be the greatest routine I have _ever _seen."

She looked back at me, incredulously, but after a moment, she beamed and giggled.

"You think so?! Really?"

I chuckle, and lean against the wall, putting my arms into my pockets. _"Absolutely. _If it were literally _any other guy, Straight or no, you would have gotten them. _Just like that - _Smitten._"

She blushed at that, and put her hands behind her back, rolling from one side to another. She froze after a moment, though, then snapped back up to me, distraught "HEY, WADDAYA MEAN, '_ANY OTHER GUY_'?!"

I smirked, challenging her again, before looking down at her, almost childishly, definitely a little conspiratorially.

"... do you _really_ wanna know?"

She blanched a bit, before she promptly blushed, and nodded. She watched me expectantly, and I started. Whatever she was expecting, it was _not_ what I said.

"... It's a matter of Physics, believe it or not. - And _Not _the fun kind, before you get your panties in a twist about it. You see, unlike other guys who only think with their heads, I think _with my brain._ And that entails looking at some startling facts. Firstly, you're like, 4"11. You _couldn't _weigh a dime over 90 pounds, _soaking wet_. I'm not saying you're fragile, but... I'm like, 325 pounds. I could _Kill_ you by rolling over."

She huffed a little, but didn't say anything. She wanted more.

"Next, I'm 6"7, and... math has been kind to me. _You couldn't handle that._"

She was gawking now, appalled at my words, but she _still wanted more._ A glutton for punishment, apparently...

... _Maybe I should amend my last statement_.

"Finally, and – Most importantly – _You aren't even FIVE FEET TALL._ I don't know about you, but I do _NOT_ want to be the person who sees us kissing in the street. Or myself, in that situation."

She glowered at me.

... I've seen shit on the bid.

... I've seen shit in the streets.

... But this, by far, _is the most terrifying moment of my life_.

"- Name. Now."

"Kanasu Mikaru."

She paused, digesting the name. Her gaze was Icy.

Her words nearly stopped my heart.

"... One day, Mikaru... Maybe not today... Maybe not tomorrow... You and I are going to be alone. And on that day... _I will make you eat those words._"

She turned, stomping (?) away. She stopped, halfway down the hall, and turned to me.

"Ibarazaki Emi. _Remember that name, boy._"

She turned again, completing her retreat.

When she was gone, I collapsed onto the ground.

_I have never been so scared of sex in my life.  
><em>

* * *

><p>End of Chapter Seven: Behind These Bars, a Shameless Inquisition!<p>

Next Time! Chapter Eight: Behind These Bars, an Arrangement of Necessity!


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight: Behind These Bars, an Arrangement of Necessity!**

* * *

><p><em>He's twenty minutes late, <em>Hisao thought, as he split his attention between his work and his friend.

However, that all stopped when he took a moment to think about it.

_He's twenty minutes late, after staying behind to clean up with Lilly. _

_They both speak English._

_They're both foreigners._

_... Why does this suck?_

Hisao was miserable thinking about that, although the only answers as to why were anything but settling, or even logical.

He was so enraptured by his thoughts, in fact, that he didn't even notice Mikaru enter the room, drawing everyone else's gaze but his own.

"Sorry, Mutou. I just finished up with some help for another teacher. I know it wasn't right to miss so much of your class, but she was really struggling, and there wasn't anyone else who could help. Although, something occurred to me while I was out, and it can't wait."

Mutou frowned at the use of his name, but listened anyway. Mikaru, of course, was shameless.

"Sir, I think I've been placed into the wrong class."

_Nobody _expected that.

"... Explain."

He looked over the class, and back to Mutou.

"Well, sir, I'm going to be blunt. I'm different than everyone else here."

He raised an eyebrow, but let the boy continue.

"... I do a lot of things, more than anyone could ask for, but despite all of this, I'm _not_ autonomous. Far from it, in fact. Everyone here, while each of them have a disability that seriously affects their lives, can still maintain a sembelance of autonomy. But myself? I can't write. I know how, but knowing how to do it doesn't do a thing when you don't have the right equipment for the job. As much as I enjoy it in this class, I don't belong. I can't get the support I need."

Mutou considered this for a moment, before facepalming, and turning back to him.

"Yeah, that's a problem. I mean, we aren't even doing our jobs right, are we? Hah. Why don't you wait here. Maybe we can figure something out."

Mutou left at this, with a confident stride and not even a look behind him. When the door closed behind him, Everyone in the class started talking all at once, some amongst themselves, but mostly to Mikaru.

"Awe, but I don't want you to go! You were _so funny!_"

"Yeah man, you can't go! Maybe one of us can write for you!"

"Why don't you just ask Mutou if the accommodations can't be made here?"

Mikaru sighed for a minute before raising his arms, getting everyone's attention. They calmed down, their voices barely a whisper, and listened.

"To be honest, I can't stay here because of you guys. I have a laptop that I can do all of this work on, and all my other work for that matter, but I have to talk to it, so it's too disruptive. And, I could have gotten an implant, but the bones on my forearm were too think to mount it properly."

Some curious glances were thrown about the class, and Mikaru laughed.

"... You guys know I wasn't lying when I introduced myself, right? I really _do_ know six different martial arts. My training broke my forearms a couple times, and chipped the bones at my stubs so many times, that they hardened over too much to put anything into them properly."

One of the girls raised her hand, and Mikaru looked at her a little funny, before saying "... Yes, girl in the front row?"

She smiled, and stood up. She was missing a hand herself, but hers was bandaged still. The boy couldn't tell if it was recent, or chronic, so he didn't say anything.

"Hey there, Stubbs. My name's Mikki. I know it's a little weird, but... can I... can I touch them?"

He kept my eyebrow raised, but extended his arms out anyway. She looked down at them, and her eyes widened a little. Whether it was at the size of them, or the keyloid scarring he had, he didn't know.

She reached out, and touched one of them, softly at first, before wrapping her hand around as much as she could, right at the end of the arm. Her eyebrows raised at how _firm_ it was. She blushed a little.

"They're... they're rock solid. I didn't really... expect that."

She looked up at Mikaru, sheepish about what she had done, but Mikaru, being Mikaru, knew how to handle the situation.

"So... _It's firmness_ shocked you? Didn't expect _the pink at the tip_ to be so _hard?_"

She blushed like mad, punching him in the arm. He laughed, as well as most of everyone else.

"Hahaha, I'm only kidding, of course. While we're all in a 'touchy - feely' mood, does anyone else want to feel them? It's a once in a lifetime offer!" He grinned disarmingly – _Oh, God dammit –_ and after a moment, almost everyone was crowded around, waiting their turn to feel the 'Stubbs in all of his glory.

After a few moments, He noticed that three people were still seated. There was a girl with blue hair, sleeping in the back, Hisao, who was shaking his head in a mirthful way... and Hanako, who was blushing at her chair, eyes glued to her desk.

_Hmm. That's a little weird. Maybe she really wanted to touch them? Or, maybe my joke was a little too perverted? Oh, well. Time will tell. _Mikaru thought, whilst passing his arms around the crowd of giggly girls and morbidly curious guys.

Just before the last two girls felt his arms, The door opened again, and Mutou stepped in.

"Well, Mikaru, take a seat for now. Pay attention to the lecture, and I will speak with you when class is over."

The girls blanched a little, and scurried away, moving their hands animatedly as they did. Mikaru found the only available desk left, and sat in it. It was going to be a long day.

* * *

><p>The bell tolled at the end of the class, signalling that school was finished. Mikaru, for his part, had indeed paid attention, asking questions here and there to help familiarize himself with the subject, and burn it into his brain. Hisao came over to his desk as people started filing out. "Hey, Mikaru, What's up?"<p>

Mikaru grinned a little, and looked up at his friend. "Oh, you know. Taking in the sights. OH! I'm officially scared of someone now, too."

Hisao raised his eyebrows in shock. "Who in this school could ever scare _you?_"

Mikaru looked at the ground for a second, a slight blush crossing his features. "Ibarazaki Emi. You know her?"

Hisao laughed at his friend's expense.

"WHAT? HOW?! She's like, 5 feet tall!"

Mikaru looked up from his place, pulling Hisao from his laughter.

"She is _dangerous_, man! When we get finished up here, I will tell you what happened today. Sure, it's awkward, but it's _legitimately terrifying_, man!"

Hisao shook his head a little, smiling despite himself. Looking back, his face cleared.

"And what... And what was that with Lilly today, man? I thought -"

Mikaru put his arm up, his grin disappearing.

"Hisao. Lilly... wanted to talk. But that was it. Nothing else happened. It needed to happen, but it won't happen again. I think, for what it's worth..."

Mikaru's trademark grin came back, and Hisao listened intently.

"... You should go for it."

Hisao blushed at Mikaru's words, but looked around him before noticing Hanako, still sitting in her chair, head in the same position it had been for the past half an hour.

"Screw you, man! Why did you - _Eh_. No, never mind. See you at the dorm?"

Mikaru looked over, looked back sheepishly, and nodded.

Hisao backed away, passing cursory glances between Hanako and Mikaru, before mouthing _'you got this' _and grinning, walking away.

Mutou was looking over some paperwork. Mikaru was about to go up to his desk when he felt a tug on his sleeve, and a smile came across his face.

"Mi...Mikaru?"

He turned to the sheepish girl, giving a blasting smile, and the raising his eyebrows expectantly.

"Can... Can I... Feel... them... too?"

He raised his arms slowly, and Hanako froze for a second. She looked back and forth between her upraised hands and Mikaru's stubs, as if she was expecting at least _one_ of them to burst into flames at any moment. Mikaru, for his part, kept completely still, waiting for her to move. After a few seconds of deliberation, she slowly reached her hands forward, touching the scarred flesh. Mikaru kept his eyes on her face, as she brushed his stubs with her fingers.

"Do... do I... Have to c – call you Stubbs as well?"

She looked up, waiting for an answer. She didn't have to wait long. "No, not at all. It's more for Hisao's sake, anyway."

Mikaru's voice was soft, and Hanako wanted to say something else, but just then a cough could be heard from their side. Hanako let out her second 'Eeep!' of the day and turned, standing as stiff as a boulder. Mikaru turned much more slowly, looking at the expectant figure of Mr. Mutou, whom had his arms crossed in front of his chest.

"Mikaru. I looked into it, and yes, you were supposed to be in class 3-1. However, they were full, so they put you here. Which means, I'm unsure as to how to properly handle this situation."

Mikaru made to cross his arms as well, but stopped when the futility of his actions was obvious. Chuckling to himself, he put his left arm behind his head, scratching. "So... got any suggestions?"

Mutou was about to speak, but he took a look at Hanako, who was still standing stock still at his side. He raised an eyebrow, and spoke slowly and cautiously. "... Ms. Ikezawa."

She snapped her head up, blushing, but paying attention to her teacher.

"I've noticed that you have trouble with working alongside others. While your situation is completely understandable, for some unknowable reason, you and Mr. Kanasu seem to get along fairly easily."

Hanako stiffened even more, glancing between Mr. Mutou and the door. She seemed to be calculating how fast she could escape.

Mikaru, seeing this, spoke up.

"Well, Mr. Mutou, we're still doing group work right now. Maybe you should give it a couple days anyway."

He looked between the two of us, before dropping his head and sighing. "Yes, I suppose you are correct. I can give you the notes you missed, and then -"

"_...Does he need help?"_

The small, timid voice was like a shot in the wind, stopping everything around it.

Mr. Mutou looked at the girl again, whom had her eyes to the floor.

Mikaru spoke up.

"Hanako... _do you want _to help?"

She turned slowly, looking up at the boy before nodding and looking back to the teacher.

"We can... we can s – stop b – by the... the library after... lectures and we can work... together..."

Mutou, for the first time that Mikaru had ever seen, smiled.

"I think that is a good idea, Hanako."

She lowered her face at the ground, blushing a little. After a moment, she started twitching, and Mikaru took action.

"Well, sir, it's settled then. Now, I don't know about Hanako, but I'm beat. I need to go eat something that's bigger than my head, and pass out. Hanako, you want in?"

She looked up, and said "Well... No, but... but... I... -"

She started looking back and forth, all around, and Mr. Mutou frowned.

"_I_..."

Mikaru put his right stub against the bridge of his nose, feeling where this was headed. He sighed.

"_IGOTTOGODOSOMETHING!"_

She bolted, making a beeline for the exit, and almost sprinting down the hall to the left. Mr. Mutou sighed.

"Well, that went better than I had hoped. Sleep well, Mr. Kanasu. Maybe you'll be on time tomorrow, ne?"

Mikaru grinned, and spoke.

"You know it, Sensei! OH, and... call me Stubbs!"

Mutou stared for a second.

"... No."

Mikaru grinned, and left quickly.

Mutou sighed, a long, tired sound, and collapsed into his chair. He rubbed his hands through his hair.

"I... I think I need a raise."

* * *

><p>End of Chapter Eight: Behind These Bars, an Arrangement of Necessity!<p>

Next Time! Chapter Nine: Behind These Bars, Blood, Sweat and Tears!


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine: Behind These Bars, Blood, Sweat and Tears!**

* * *

><p>I sprinted around the corner, not even caring about the looks I was receiving. I turned right, and sprinted up the stairs I found there. Taking two at a time, I reached the top, where a door rested. I grabbed the handle, twisted it open, and slammed my body through.<p>

Sunlight blinded me momentarily. I stopped, shielding my hands over my eyes. I sat there like that, holding my face, for a while. I'm not sure how long, or even why I was waiting at this point, but I did anyway. After I was certain I was alone, I slowly pulled my hands away, but stopped.

_It's... It's still there..._

I don't know why I was surprised. The scar would _always_ be there; a cold reminder of a fiery night. Just then, I opened my mouth to breathe, but a choked sob came out instead. I fell to my knees, not caring about the sharp pain I felt as the rocks greeted them, cutting them up a bit. My hands remained where they were; I didn't move either.

_Why...?_

Why what? I don't even know. I'm so confused right now. So many questions, and no answers.

_Why did I say that? _

_Why am I getting involved?_

_Why do I care?_

_... Why is my heart beating so fast?_

The last question gave me pause. It wasn't from my running, at least, not entirely. As I thought, I scooted myself onto my feet, and found my spot; just behind the stairwell, against the wall, overlooking the town; the hills and mountains surrounding it. I sat down on the rocky roof, back against the wall, heart beating wildly, my chest heaving at my breaths. My hands were no longer in front of my face, but instead they found themselves gripped in front of my chest, in a familiar embrace. I don't remember where it came from, though.

I stared at the town below, seeing a few cars moving along the winding road that was before it. From the forest surrounding the town, a flock of large, white birds erupted from the canopy, fluttering their wings in the cool afternoon breeze.

"_... hello."_

It was a meaningless thing to say, but I said it anyways. I always do.

Sometimes, I liked to imagine that _I _was a bird, too. Flying with the others, spreading my wings wide and sailing on the breeze. Maybe, one day...

_- No, _I don't think that's a good thought.

... But I think it anyway.

* * *

><p>My heart is slow now. It took what felt like an hour, but the sun's position told me it was more like two or three. With this modicum of stillness achieved, I returned to my troubling thoughts.<p>

"Why does he do this to me?"

The boy I met today, with no hands but strong arms, was on my mind. He was very strange, but I knew it wasn't his fault.

_How? How can one person experience that, and still be happy?_

I paused for a second, thinking about that. Another thought is my conclusion.

_But... he isn't really happy, is he?_

I thought back to his first story, _The Plight of Hisao_. How confident he looked, how sure of what he was saying, and how quick he was to say it.

... How quickly that all changed.

I wonder to myself why it happened. Surely, he didn't _intend_ to say what he did. He'd said so much himself. Moreover, I wonder how Hisao picked up on that?

If I were in Hisao's place, would I have done what he did? Would _I_ have saved my friend?

_... My... Friend..._

... No, I wouldn't have, would I?

I feel ashamed of myself to think it, but it's true. This boy; this troubled, lonely boy, was my friend, and he seemed like he would do anything for me. What would I do?

I would run away, unable to face the others.

My shame turns to anger, and I seethe to myself.

Friends are bad.

If it weren't for my friends, I wouldn't run away from things. I would be braver.

If it weren't for my friends... I would be able to live my life, instead of hide from it.

_... But Lilly is my friend, right?_

I think on that, pondering it for a while. Lilly is my friend. Why am I thinking this about her?

She only wants the best for me. She's always been nice to me, no matter what. She loves me.

_Would we be friends if she wasn't blind?_

That thought isn't new. It was a thought that plagued me for the longest time. It plagued me until today, when the boy... when Mikaru... became my friend.

_Can I even trust him?_

I was so engrossed in my thoughts that I didn't even notice anything until the door slammed open.

I jumped, my heart racing again. _Who's up here?! No one's supposed to be here! Not now!_

I peek around the corner, my good eye watching as a tall figure strode around the roof. I heard muttering.

"_... Damn doorknob, not being flat... hungry... equipment..._ "

It was Mikaru. _It was Mikaru. _

_Oh Kamis..._

He was imposing, standing tall, with a large black bag hanging around his shoulders. He crouched down, setting the bag on the gravel gently before he slid his head out, stretched a little, only to kneel on the ground. With some effort, and more than a little muttered swearing, he managed to open the bag and used his arms to throw it open. I couldn't help but get a little curious, so I paid more attention to the bag, holding my breath.

He bent over the bag, putting his arms inside. With a little effort, he managed to use his arms like chopsticks to pull something out. I would have giggled at the motion, until I saw what exactly he pulled out.

A large, metal and leather strapped contraption, rested in between his arms. He set it down, pulling out another, nearly identical one, and resting them side by side. I leaned out a little more, to get a better view. As I did that, he still on his knees, He bent over, inserting his arms roughly into the contraptions, using his mouth to flip a latch.

When the latch was released, a sound like a broken cable car rang through the air, followed by a grunt of pain. After a little bit of wiggling, he stilled, turning to the other one. I wanted to ask him to stop, but before I could even move, he did the same thing again, his discomfort showing on his face. He still didn't see me, because his eyes were clenched shut, but I took that as a blessing and hid back a little more, only watching him with my good eye now.

After a couple moments of discomfort, he wiggled, wincing despite himself. I raised a hand to my mouth quickly, not wanting to make a sound, but I found it unnecessary. He stopped wiggling as soon as he started. Still kneeling for a moment, he put his feet beneath him, and stood.

His back was straight, and he started rolling his shoulders. From what I saw, those looked to be like... weights? Gauntlets? Something like that...

He sighed again, looking down at his chest. "Well, Crap. I forgot again. I hope I can get it this time."

He raised the gauntlet to his chest, and grunted a little. Fidgeting, I assumed. I wanted to make myself known, but I heard a zipper sound and... _oh. OH. OH NO! OH, NO NO NO OH NO OH-_

His sweater came off, falling to the ground. He was shirtless now. The sun was setting, and it painted everything with a rosy, orange - pink hue. His skin shone in the light, it's surface littered with a lattice-like array of deep pink scars. Some of them were long, and thick, while others were tiny, and pronounced.

His arms lifted into the air slowly, like a stretch of sorts, and the muscles on his back rippled and contracted. The scars seemed to shift the tiniest bit as well, most of them contorting to fit whatever shape his skin needed. Then, he brought his arms down slowly by his sides. His shoulders flexed, and I could see scars running across them as well. I scanned down his arms, only to see the latticework of scars end below the line that the contraptions were secured to, above his elbow.

He paused for a moment, turning, and facing the door. He wasn't looking for anything, but his movement caused me to panic a little. I sat completely still, as he raised his arms to his chest, the contraptions meeting in the centre without a sound. Then, he started moving, in what I assume was some sort of practise – dance for one of his martial arts.

His movements were slow, his arms barely shaking at the effort of holding and moving the weights. I watched on, transfixed. He was so... calm. So steady. He was like a rock, each motion flowing naturally into the next. It was an amazing thing to see.

His arms came back up to his chest, and only then did I notice the scars that ran along his stomach.

They were as numerous as the scars that ran along his back, only there were more small ones. Before I could ponder that any further, however, his eyes snapped open, and he took on a new light.

These motions weren't the same soft, fluid motions from before. These ones were slow, but they had power behind them; not unlike a cat, waiting to pounce. Eventually, after a few more motions, He brought his arms to his chest again, only he didn't stop.

He stood up straight, and used his heels to work his shoes off. He didn't flinch at the gravel beneath his feet. In fact, he seemed like he didn't know it was there at all.

Once his shoes were off, his feet parted, and he stood low and wide. His gauntlets rested in front of him. His right arm extended, his left at his side, and the gauntlet seemed to gleam in the low light of the sun.

He inhales deeply, and his hands move. When he exhales, the left extends, and the right comes to his side. He brings his left arm in, and then his arms sweep in a circle in front of him, his legs coming together in an unnatural way.

He is moving then. His motions are fast, aggressive, and strong. They are practised. He looks like he could do this when he was asleep, and he wouldn't even notice. His feet started to slide across the gravel, the ground vibrating as he struck the air. He himself made no noise, other than his deep breathing, but he looked like, if he weren't practising right now, he would be screaming at each hit. He then started to do other motions, turning, spinning, and sliding as he threw himself into each strike.

This was, in a way, even more fascinating that before. His muscles barely seemed to register the added weight of the gauntlets (Which I knew to be substantial, if his struggle to get them here was any indication) as they moved through the air, starting faster and stopping more suddenly than I could ever hope to achieve _without_ a handicap.

There was a final hit, where he slid almost six feet with the force of it _alone_, and then he stilled. He took a deep breathe, and his body came to it's familiar neutral position, before his arms fell to his sides, and he started breathing heavily. His head was down, and his shoulders rose and fell with each breath. His stomach expanded as well, drawing air deep into his lungs. As he stood like that, a sheen of sweat covering his body, and his face neutral, I couldn't help a small smile work it's way across my face.

My hand fell to my jaw, feeling that I was, indeed, smiling, and I stayed like that, watching him for a while before he seemed to relax a little more and open his eyes. He turned to the left, looking out at the sunset over the hospital, and I heard a little sigh. Then, he turned around and walked over to his bag. He crouched down, placing the gauntlets in. I was about to sneak away when, to my surprise, he rose again suddenly, his weights replaced with metal platforms. He looked out at the Hospital again, and then towards my direction.

Thinking fast, I threw myself back into the centre of the wall, staring out into the town. I didn't want him to know I was here, so I held my breath, listening. I heard gravel. _Coming closer. _

Was he coming over here? Did he know I was watching that whole time? What's he going to say?

What if -

"_I'MSORRYMIKARUICOULDN'THELPMYSELFIWASWATCHINGYOUTHEWHOLETIME!"_

My hand slapped across my traitorous mouth, refusing to let it say anymore. I was very, _very _scared.

_What's he going to say? What's he going to do? Is he going to be mad at me? What if he doesn't want to be my friend anymore?_

From my right, I heard chuckling. It was soft, and warm, and all those things that didn't seem to match the eyes that held them, but I had a feeling that his eyes were like they were in the library, so they would match this time.

"Ah, Hanako. I was wondering if I would see you again today."

I didn't trust myself to speak, so I just didn't.

After a moment, He spoke again.

"Hey, Hanako? Do you think I could share this wall with you?"

I looked up at him briefly, before slowly shuffling to my left, my hand stubbornly planted over my mouth.

"Thank you... _I miss that, you know_."

I looked up at him. He had his back turned to the fence, his plates in front of him. Placing them against the wall on the ground, he threw his legs into the air, now standing upside-down.

"... Being able to place my hand over my mouth. Saved my ass a whole lot, back in the day."

I immediately dropped my hand, looking down and blushing profusely. "S – s – _sorry._"

He chuckled, and grunted a little. "Naw, it's ok. Enjoy it, Hanako... You've got a blessing."

I looked up at him, my eyebrow raised. If not for the scarring, I would raise the other one as well.

He chuckled again, and started talking. Grunts and strain was evident in his voice.

"Well... it's... true... Han... a... ko..."

He stopped talking for a bit, focused in front of him as he lifted his weight up and down with his arms.

"... _It looked painful._"

He paused his motions for a moment, arms extended beneath him.

"... The... The g – gauntlets... They... They hurt you, d – don't they?"

He continued his motions, talking as he went.

"Yes... They... They do... but... I have... I have to... do.. .this... so... I can... be... stronger..."

I couldn't help but look him over then, my heart fluttering inside my chest. His muscles were straining across his whole abdomen, the scars much larger up close than they appeared to be from far away.

"_But... haven't you... given up enough? Why... Why give away your... your comfort... your happiness... like this?"_

I kept watching him move; up and down, up and down, and he spoke.

"Hanako... My... Happiness... is... already... gone..."

My heart almost stopped at his words. It ached for this boy, this boy I had barely met.

"So... it's... my... job... to... make... sure... that... I... can... save... the... others..."

I stared at him, wide eyed, my jaw shaking.

"Save... the... others... from... this... pain..."

I didn't want to do it. I didn't. But when my tears started falling, I spoke anyway.

"But... _but it's *sniff* it's not fair..._"

He stopped, his head turning in my direction. "... _Excuse me_?"

I really didn't want to speak. _I really didn't want to speak. _But my mouth has already proven it's treachery once today, and it would do it again.

"_Why do... why do you need hands to be happy?_"

He kicked off of the wall, his knees hitting the gravel roughly. He stayed there, though, looking at the ground.

"_Why... Why can't... you just... find happiness... in your friends... and... your life... as... as it is?"_

He looked up at me, but didn't meet my eyes. We stayed like that for a while, before he spoke in a weak, small voice.

"I don't... I don't know."

With that, he stood up abruptly, turning on his heel and walking back around the stairwell. I got up, abruptly, and followed him. We walked over to his bag, and stopped half way. He turned to me, and I spoke before he did.

"Are... Are you... _Mad_... at... me?"

He turned away at my words, walking over to his bag. I followed him, waiting for him to speak. Until now, he always spoke, except for once. So, I figured that, no matter what, I had to hear it. After he released the straps, he pulled his arms out, shaking them around.

"Grab my sweater."

I complied, picking it up off of the bench it rested on. I held it, feeling it's rough, warm fabric.

"... Put it on."

I looked at him, but slowly complied. It dwarfed me, nearly as large as my nightgown, except the sleeves were almost touching the ground.

He looked at me, smiling a little at the sight. I blushed, and wanted to look away, but didn't.

Slowly, he walked up to me, and he...

He wrapped his arms around my shoulders, pulling me to his chest. I found my arms moving on their own, snaking around his waist, coming together behind his back. I rested the hood against his chest, using it as a barrier between him and myself. I realized that he had intended on hugging me, but didn't want to get me all sweaty. I giggled out loud at the thought.

"That... That was... Sneaky..."

He chuckled. With my ear against his chest, I could feel it shake him to his core. It was a nice feeling. That's the only way I could describe it.

After a few moments, he pulled away, and I did as well, although it was reluctant. I looked up at him, and he was still wearing that smile.

He pointed to my chest, and I looked down. I saw the zipper, and it took me a moment to connect the dots. With a bit of a huff, I took the sweater off, and held it in my hands for a moment.

He waited while I did, and eventually spoke.

"*sigh*... Look. If you want it so badly, it's yours, just... let me wash it first, ok?"

I looked up at him, smiling. It seemed to make him smile wider. I nodded my head, and held my hands out still clutching the sweater. He put his arms on the fabric, softly pulling it until it fell from my hands. When it did, he whipped it around, and slid it on. He filled it out perfectly, which made me blush when I compared us.

He turned to his bag, thinking for a moment. I thought faster though, and stepped past him slowly, approaching the bag. He stopped in place as I bent over, examining the contents of the bag up close. I brushed my hand along it's straps, feeling the stiffness in them. After a moment more of my attention, I let out a huff and quickly zipped up the bag. I held onto the zipper for a moment, my eyes closed.

I heard the gravel near me shuffle, as I assumed he was trying to put on his shoes. I'll let him do that, though.

... His feet probably stink.

I giggle softly at the thought, and stand up.

Grabbing the handles, I hear the shuffling madden, and then he dashes over to me. _"Hanako, don't -"_

I put my hand up to him, and he doesn't speak. Running my fingers along the straps, I step aside, letting him past, while holding the straps as high as they'll go. Seeing where I was going with this, he ducked his head under, and I braced myself to lift. After a moment, I felt him stiffen, and I lifted with all my might, growling a little as I went.

_Well, that's new... _I thought, frowning at the sound.

Hearing the gravel shuffling more, I see him adjusting the strap, and stand tall once more. He turns in my direction, looking at the ground. "Th – thank you... Hanako."

I smile at the the thought of someone being bashful around _me_ for a change, and giggle. I don't remember ever giggling this much in a day. _Am I finally going insane?_

He looks up at me for a moment, and turns away, looking out at the sunset. I turned my eyes as well, the sun having just fell behind the hospital in the distance.

"... Have you eaten, Hanako? It's getting late. You should try to eat something before it's too late."

I turn to him, finally remembering that I had been bleeding from the knees today, and hadn't eaten anything but a single sandwich. Feeling a little feint, I stumble back, sitting on the bench. He turns to me again. "Hanako, did you – _Hey, are you ok?_"

I look up at him, and shake my head to try and get rid of my dizziness. As I did that, I heard him speak some more.

"... your knees are cut up pretty bad, Hanako. They've started to scab over, but did you notice this in the first place?"

I look down at my knees, registering for the first time that my knees were, in fact, sliced up.

"_O – Ow..."_

He looked at me, sighing before bending over again, putting his arm under my knees and armpit and lifted me up.

"Come on, Hanako. No one's here right now; I'm going to take you to the nurse to lie down. I'll grab some food while I'm at it, ok?"

I looked at him, shaking my head, "N – No... Too much..."

He scoffed a bit, and I frowned. "You're kidding, right? You're light as a feather. Come on, let's go."

I blushed a bit at his accidental compliment, the situation I was in, and my utter lack of ability to fight this, and just decided to enjoy it instead. I rested my hands behind his neck, putting my head on his chest, and closed my eyes. I fell asleep soon afterwards.

* * *

><p>End of Chapter Nine: Behind These Bars, Blood, Sweat and Tears!<p>

Next Time! Chapter Ten: Behind These Bars, a Sinister Plot and a Sticky Situation!


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten: Behind These Bars, an Epic Chase and a Sticky Situation!**

* * *

><p>Mikaru made it to the Nurse's office uneventfully. When he arrived, however, he realized that he had a problem. <em>I can't put Hanako down; I might not be able to pick her back up again. I can't knock on the door; I'd wake Hanako up. I can't wait too long either; I'm getting tired. Shit. <em>

He was sitting there, deliberating about what was the best course of action, when a miracle happened. No sooner was he about to start panicking when the door opened by itself, a startled Nurse waiting behind it!

"Hey, Nurse. You're the nurse, right? Is this the right room?"

He nodded, a little dumbly, trying to take the situation in.

"... So, do you think that you could...?"

He grins a little bashfully, and extends his arms.

"OH! Right, _my job_. On that note, -"

He grabbed the girl, spinning on the spot, and quietly lying her down on the bench in the corner. He examined her, speaking into the room.

"... You're new here. And Not Hisao. That makes you Kanasu Mikaru. Here you are, a feinted Ikezawa in your arms, arriving at my doorstep. Bloodied, too. I can't judge you yet, but this looks..."

From behind him, he heard a large grunt, and a small thud. Then, he heard a voice. "... Bad. I know. No sugar here, doc, ok? I can tell you more than looking at her like that would."

He stopped his motions, and made an about-face to meet the eyes of the Ex – Con. He appraised him, and then, gave off a cheeky beaming grin, not unlike the boy's signature face.

"Well, Like I said, I can't judge. So, what _exactly _do you know?"

Mikaru looked at the doctor's grin for a moment, doing some appraisal on his own, and spoke.

"Well, sir, I found her on the roof. Mind you, she was conscious then. Apparently, we're friends, and this is also apparently a big deal. I didn't notice at the time, but she must have cut her knees on the gravel. And, if my 5 years spent on rough gravel could attest to anything..." Mikaru stepped past the doctor, looking at Hanako's knees. He appraised them momentarily, before turning back.

"She fell. Wasn't pushed, though. More vertical scratches along the thigh and calf that way. No, she likely just... well, _plopped_ _down_. But, it's more than that. Those stopped bleeding hours ago."

He turned back to the doctor, to see him looking over his shoulder, appraising the girls knees for himself. Glancing back and forth between Mikaru and Hanako, he eventually stepped back, facing Mikaru openly.

"I'd agree with that assessment. Definitely some scabbing going on. And, something more. You know why she was up there, and there's only a couple of situations where a girl just... Plops down on gravel like that."

Mikaru nodded, not breaking his pace. "You see, while I didn't really do anything _horrible_, it's still most likely my fault. She _is_ my friend, but I'm a pretty weird guy, and I just think she went up there to be alone. She had a big day today, and I'm starting to think that she doesn't get very many of those."

The nurse nodded, looking away. He walked over to his desk, thinking while organizing it. To most people, this is an awkward conversation. To Nurse and Mikaru, however, this is something of a war game: much like tennis, where the action of parley is literally _parler_, and the tactical placement of words and information is the trading of the ball.

"You'd be correct, Mr. Kanasu. Although, I'm not really supposed to tell you, am I? Heh. Well, if you're her friend, you must be an ok guy. She doesn't have many of those, you know. Anyway, I digress. How does _this_ happen?"

Mikaru thought for a second.

_This _was the shift from _Hanako wanting to be alone _to _Hanako falling asleep in my arms bleeding, with 600 pounds of metal in a black bag, and me being covered in sweat._

"Well... _This, Nurse, _happens three hours after she left the classroom. I went upstairs after searching the grounds for a suitable place to do my routine, and came across the roof. I liked the gravel. So, I just did it. Hanako seemed to be... well, trapped... behind the stairwell, with nothing else to do but wait until I was distracted enough for her to slip away, or brave enough to tell me she was there."

The nurse seemed uncomfortable with Mikaru's gravel comment, but shook it off in a moment, choosing to not speak on it.

Good Choice.

"You mentioned a routine? What, pray tell, does this entail? Does it have anything to do with the contents of that black bag?"

Mikaru looked over to the large, yet inconspicuous bag, looked back and grinned. "You wouldn't approve, sir, but yes it does. You see, it's a little rig I designed while I was incarcerated that allows me to work out like a normal person. Well, that's a misnomer. With the rig, -"

He stooped over the bag, working it open and pulling one out. He set it onto the clean space on the desk. The Nurse immediately strode over, examining it, and then Mikaru's arms.

"- I can actually do _more _than your average person. But, it's not exactly... well... _street legal_, if you know what I mean."

He saw the marks, just under Mikaru's biceps, where the harnesses latch into his arms. He frowned.

"... No, it isn't. This is... This is... I don't even know what to say about this. I mean... You know what? Hanako's asleep. She's obviously fine, at least for now. I already examined Hisao. Can I examine you?"

Mikaru nodded, and without a second thought, spread his arms out to the sides. The Nurse unzipped the sweater, and was pulling it off his shoulders, when...

"NURSE! How're ya doing! I need to – WHAAA?!"

Both men looked over to the door. In said door, none other than Ibarazaki Emi, stood, looking at them, mouth agape at the scene.

"Emi, _how many times _do I have to tell you to _knock_ before you enter?"

She stood there, blushing, before she saw Mikaru's undressed figure. Her jaw refused to close.

"Nurse, may you... may you please remove Ms. Ibarazaki? I'm afraid she's a little... a little..."

The Nurse nodded, picking the girl up in a bear-hug. She stammered, keeping her eyes locked on Mikaru's shirtless form. Her eyes swam with... something. Something _not _innocent.

Mikaru shuddered.

"But – but – but -"

"I will speak with you _later, _Emi. Wait outside."

He set her down, and turned away. "BUT, IT'S NOT FAI -"

The door slammed with a resounding _thud_. Mikaru shivered still.

The nurse turned to him. "Are you ready, Mikaru?"

He just stood there, staring at the door. "She... she... _With her eyes, man!_"

The nurse let out a healthy chuckle, and shook his head. "You... _you are definitely an innocent man._"

* * *

><p>Somehow, be it an act of a god or by sheer dumb luck, Hanako managed to sleep through that commotion. Twenty minutes later, the Nurse was taking down notes, speaking aloud as he did so.<p>

"Well, physically, other than your... insistence on self-mutilation... and your lack of hands, you belong in a scientific museum. You're seventeen, and yet you easily show greater muscle definition, size and shape than most adult body builders could ever hope to achieve. All from such a young age, too. Mentally, however, I obviously have concerns."

Mikaru looked back at the Nurse. "- Beg your pardon?"

The Nurse merely turned his head, and said "Well, You know the score. I mean, I doubt it was the bubbly, loud, and almost obnoxious facade of _Mikaru _that became friends with Hanako. No, She wouldn't be able to cope with that. Of course, I'd be surprised if you weren't a little mentally unstable with what you've been through. Which, by the way, I don't know much about. Only what observation can tell me."

Mikaru just nodded, knowing full – well that even though this man was a _Nurse_, his qualification must be nothing short of _Surgeon._

"You'd be right. While I may be no criminal, my being a sociopath isn't exactly out of the question."

The Nurse turned around, still writing in his clipboard. He cast a glance onto the sleeping form of Hanako before continuing.

"... And you accept this? Is that you being well – adjusted, or is it a cry for help?"

Mikaru paused. He honestly did not know the answer.

"... I am a well – adjusted individual, all things considered. But even before the attack, I wasn't the most mentally stable. I can't really say I'm sure either of those things is true."

The Nurse smiled at his admission.

"You know, saying things like that means you have more hope than you think. Well, I think I know enough for today. You can get dressed now... On revision, I'll amend that statement. Sorry."

Mikaru let out a soft chuckle, getting things in as good of shape as he could, before the Nurse helped him get fastened. Comfortable and clothed once more, He turned to Hanako.

"So... Are we done here? Hanako's probably starving by now, and I don't want to miss the opportunity to get her fed."

The Nurse smiled, giving him a nod and a knowing look. "... It must have been pretty tough, Mikaru. This isn't just for Hanako's sake, is it?"

Mikaru Froze. However, he _detested_ liars, and he was _not_ a hypocrite.

"... No, sir. I've... I've spent one too many nights hungry for it to be anything but personal."

The Nurse gave Mikaru a knowing nod and a sombre look, and gesture with his head. "OK, out. I need to clean these cuts, and finish my notes. We'll talk more when you've returned. I have something I need to discuss about your friend, Hisao, as well as something else that might interest you."

Mikaru cocked his head, but nodded and left. As he turned away to head down the hall, a voice stopped him dead in his tracks.

"HEY, WHERE DO YOU THINK _YOU'RE _GOING, BUDDY?!"

- Emi was standing right across the hall.

_Emi was standing, right. Across. The hall._

"Ah, if it isn't Ibarazaki Emi, _The Tiny Terror._"

She glared at him, fuming.

"... You take that _back, _RIGHT NOW!"

Mikaru fled.

"NOPE! I may not be the fastest, but DAMMIT, I WON'T LOSE!"

Emi smirked victoriously. _This _was _her_ moment. She bent down, preparing herself for the chase. Her eyes cleared, and she launched. She was _hauling ass, _too.

"THIS IS _NOT_ YOUR DAY, MIKARU! I AM _THE FASTEST THING ON NO LEGS, _AND I WILL _NOT _BE DENIED!"

He looked back seeing her sprinting after him like a shot out of hell, with determination in her eyes. He turned back, seeing a door and a stairwell, and choosing the door. _He still needed Hanako's food, after all_. He smashed through the door, nearly taking it off of it's hinges, and fled across the field outside. He was running for the closest possible source of food, until he heard rustling behind him. Turning, he saw nothing other than her triumphant face, as she was _nearly _in arm's reach of her conquest.

"Give up! I _may _even let you _enjoy_ this!"

A _very, Undeniably Manly _squeal sounded from Mikaru's lips, and he turned, finding in himself a burst of speed that he didn't know _existed_ until now. Turning again, he jumped over a railing, clearing an entire hedge of thrush, and landed on the other side, rolling before breaking into a sprint once more. Emi vaulted it, and didn't even need to roll thanks to her springy prostheses.

_Think fast, Mikaru. You got this. YOU GOT THIS!_

He stopped in place, standing before a tree. It was with great pleasure that Emi observed this, until...

_Mikaru, without hands, jumped SEVEN FEET into the air, wrapping his arms around the lowest branch he could reach. _

Emi was so distracted by his display of manly athleticism that she didn't even notice the tree, or the root that tripped her into it. Flying at over 30 Kilometres per hour, she didn't stand a chance.

* * *

><p>When she awoke, it was much, <em>much<em> darker out. Almost immediately, she let out a groan, holding her head with one hand and pushing herself up to sit with another. With not just a little pain in her voice she said, "_Ooooohhhh_... What... What happened?"

"- Oh, That's easy. You got distracted, and ran full – tilt into a tree."

She turned, using her one good eye to look at the object of her desires, who was smirking at her from his post, leaned casually against said tree.

"... Don't rub it in, Kanasu. _You _certainly didn't help much. Why are you even here? Shouldn't you be off... _gloating, or something_?"

She looked down, more content with just wrapping her arms around herself, feeling depressed. She was beaten. Well and truly beaten, for the first time since her accident.

Mikaru stopped smirking, instead looking down more seriously at the girl. Seeing that she had had enough, he decided to be nice to her for once.

"... Hey, cut that shit out, Emi. This isn't you. Where's your fire? Your _passion?_"

She looked away from him, eyes still pointed to the ground.

"... I'm not... I'm not _pretty, _am I?"

She looked positively dejected, and it showed in her voice as well.

Mikaru scoffed a bit, but it wasn't a mean sound. Kind of dismissive, but not in a bad way.

"... Look, Emi, you... you _know_ that's not true. You're a very pretty girl. It's just... you don't actually know me all that well. To be honest... this whole thing makes me feel a little worse than you."

She snapped her head up, eyes meeting his. She didn't expect that at all. "W – What?"

He looked away, sitting beside her, looking out at the stars overhead.

"... Sure, I may be a good looking guy, but that's not... That's not what you really _see_ when you look at me, is it?"

She looked at him, staring pensively into the sky, and felt a little bad for him. Now that she thought about it... _he was right._

"I'm not really someone you'd want to have sex with. Hell, I'm not even really the kind of guy you're interested in dating, am I? I'm just a mountain. A giant mountain you want to conquer."

She looked down, bringing her knees to her chest. Resting her pads on the ground, she hugged her knees close, listening to the young man.

"What was supposed to happen after you'd conquered me, Emi? What happens then?"

She looked at him, and had an idea. Moving quickly, she pounced on him, finding herself resting on his stomach, straddling him, her hands on his chest in the dewy grass. She looked down at him, a soft, gentle smile on her face, before leaning down and kissing him on the cheek.

"What happens then is... we're friends. And then it's _your _turn to conquer _me_."

Mikaru was a little dazed, but eventually he smiled at her kind gesture. Leaning up, he got himself onto his haunches, and lifted them both up, setting her down on her pads before dusting her shoulders off.

"So, we're friends, then? That's... That sounds nice, Emi."

She beamed up at him, before hugging him as hard as she could. She was about to let go, but...

"Oooooooowwwwwww... "

* * *

><p>The Nurse was, for the most part, an easy going guy. He didn't judge people unnecessarily, He didn't like to pry, and he didn't ask questions when they weren't <em>absolutely necessary<em>. He'd seen his share of injuries that lacked all reasonable explanation. He _never_ denied service, even if he was technically off – duty. That's just who he was; an Easy Going Guy.

... All that changed when he shut the lights, and reached to open the door, opening it to none other than Kanasu Mikaru, complete with the _only _thing that could bring him here: _a damsel in distress. _

"... _You've got to be kidding me_."

* * *

><p>End of Chapter Ten: Behind These Bars, an Epic Chase and a Sticky Situation!<p>

Next Time! Chapter Eleven: Behind These Bars, Progress and it's Price!


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven: Behind These Bars, Progress and it's Price!**

* * *

><p>Mikaru stepped into the dorm, utterly exhausted from his first day. <em>That was only my first day! I almost liked it better in prison...<em>

He shrugged off the thought, taking the stairs to his dorm. It was a bad idea, but it wasn't all that troublesome, all things considered. He walked down the hall, reaching his dorm, when he realized something.

... _Hisao still has my key. Dammit._

It was a minor oversight. He had decided that, since he was only going to be gone another twenty minutes, _tops_, he should leave the key with him to make it easier on them both.

Of course, that was two hours ago.

Now, it was 01:00, and he was _certainly _not going to sleep in the hall tonight. No way, Not in _hell_. So, mustering what courage and dignity he could, he threw it behind himself, and pounded his forearms against Hisao's door.

_THUMPTHUMPTHUMP _"Hisao?"

_THUMPTHUMPTHUMP _"Hisao?"

_THUMPTHUMPTHUMP_ "Hisao?"

_THUMPTHUMP - _"WHAT, DAMMIT? WHAT COULD BE _SO FRIGGING IMPORTANT_ THAT YOU'D – Oh, Hey Mikaru. What's up? Gimme a sec."

He let out a _huuuge_ yawn, rubbing the sleep from his eyes, brushing shoulders with Mikaru as he plodded down the hall, towards the exuberant man's door. Fishing the key from around his neck, he awkwardly worked it into the keyhole before realizing it was the wrong key. Pulling it out slowly, he fumbled slowly for the other one, inserted it smoothly, and turned, opening the door. Without thinking, he plodded further, turning a bit towards the giant bed, and landed face-first in the sheets, out like a light.

Mikaru, seeing his friend's utter exhaustion, let out a small sigh of his own, resigning himself to his fate. Finding a particularly soft mound of carpet and suitcase, he plopped himself down, meditating deeply.

* * *

><p>When Hisao awoke, he was being prodded in the foot by something big, thick, and fleshy. His sleep addled brain deciding it was <em>definitely <em>better to keep his eyes closed and think about the offending appendage, instead of open them and see for himself. He _almost _got back to sleep when, much to his chagrin, it happened again, a little more insistently this time. He was a little more alert this time, and he considered it more this time. _Big, Thick... Fleshy..._

"OH GOD, NO!"

He got up like a shot, turning around ready to punch the _daylights_ out of whatever perverted asshole thought _that_ was a good wake up call when -

He saw Mikaru, his arm extended, looking utterly _confused as shit._

"Hisao? You... are you ok? You... you look like you just saw a ghost, or something..."

He kept the same look of confusion on his face, watching Hisao. Hisao, however, still looked terrified, but also slightly confused, looking back and forth between his friend's face, and his arm. After a moment of that, Mikaru himself looked between a face and an arm, frowning more and more with every second that passed.

After a second, Hisao fell back, holding his chest. "Be Still, Mine Beating Heart! - Fuck, we gotta stop with the cripple jokes, man. I'm running out of ideas."

Mikaru, ever vigilant for a good laugh, took the bait, forgetting all about the awkward moment they just shared, laughing his ass off.

"HOLY CRAP! 'Be Still, Mine Beating Heart'?! HAHAHAHAHA! Dude, if you don't use that on a girl, I _swear_ I will _never_ forgive you!"

Hisao, now fully awake and alert, considered the idea of using his disability as a pickup line, and laughed at the sheer irony of the idea. After a couple moments however, disaster struck.

"- DIE, FEMINIST SCUMMM!"

A small guy, scrawnier than Hisao but only a little bit shorter than him, dove at the unsuspecting boy in the bed. Hisao barely had time to look over, when Mikaru punched him out of the air, instantly knocking him out. His body lost all momentum, and collapsed in a heap, twitching a little. When Hisao looked up, he saw that Mikaru was about to bend down and hit him again, and he acted.

"NOOO! Don't kill Kenji!"

Mikaru looked up instantly, completely still. Looking at Hisao, he turned back to the boy, and back to Hisao. After a few moments of looking and silence, the gears in Mikaru's head started turning again, and he snapped into action. He put his stubs up to his head, holding his crown, and started to quake.

"... Oh, fuck. _Oooohhhh_ _fuck._ OH, FUCKOHFUCKOHFUCKOHFUCK! Shit, man! _What am I gonna do_?! I think he's _dead_, Hisao! I hit him_ full – on_, and he has _glasses_, and I don't have_ fingers_ to check his _pulse_, and _I could go back to_ _jail_, and -"

_SLAP!_

_..._

_... ..._

_... ... ..._

"... Right. Take Charge."

Mikaru stepped over the downed boy, finding a nice spot in the corner, and promptly sat himself down. His arms placed on his lap, he was completely cut off from everything except burgundy as Hisao crouched down, holding his fingers to Kenji's wrist. After 5 seconds, he nodded, and moved his ear to his mouth. Another five seconds passed, and he slapped Kenji full – on. At that, Kenji dashed up, holding his cheek, and started screaming.

"NO! I WON'T LET YOU WIN! I'M GOING TO KILL EVERY SINGLE LAST -"

Kenji looked hard at Hisao, Squinting and leaning in, scanning every inch of face that he could. After a moment, he leaned back a little, sitting on his knees.

"Oh, sup dude? What's... What's going on? Where's that giant feminist that was torturing you?"

Hisao balked at his excitable friend. His jaw flapped uselessly before he grabbed his shoulders tight, and leaned close to him.

"... _Kenji. I've never asked for anything from you before. But you made a mistake. It is imperative that you turn around, walk over to that dark lump in the corner, and apologize, now. Am I clear?_"

Kenji looked utterly confused, a little scared even, but nodded repeatedly. Standing up, he turned around, scanning the room, before finding said lump, walking over to it, and grabbing it. It became larger, _Much_ larger than Kenji, and it turned around.

"M – Mysterious Expanding Lump! I have been tasked with apologizing to you! Do you accept my apology?"

Mikaru looked at the nearly blind boy in front of him, before speaking a little weakly.

"You're... you're not dead?"

Kenji shook his head, grinning.

"... I'm... _I'm not going back to jail?_"

Kenji paused, thinking for a moment.

"... _How long were you in jail?_"

Hisao smacked the back of Kenji's head, making him look back, rubbing it.

"OW! Hey, ok – No, you aren't going to jail."

Mikaru slumped down, chest heaving.

"H – hello? Mysterious Expanding lump? Hello-o-o-o?"

Kenji stood still for a moment, shrugged, and turned back to Hisao.

"Hey, man, was that ok? And, what was that about? Is it some strange, anti-feminist weapon you designed or something?"

Hisao looked at him for a moment, facepalmed, and spoke.

"No. Well, actually... Yes, sort of. His name's Kanasu Mikaru. He was a little scared, because he thought that you were dead, and that he would..._ be uninformed in his fight against feminism_. Yeah."

Kenji considered Hisao's words for a moment, before shrugging.

"Oh, Cool. Ok, dude. Whatever you say. You're friend's in luck, though! He hits like a bullet train!"

Hisao stared at his friend. "Kenji... are you sure you're ok?"

Kenji thought about it for a second, rubbing his jaw. "... Good Point. I'm gonna go lie down for a while."

With that, Kenji turned on his heel and left, only the slightest bit wobbly.

When he was gone, Hisao turned to Mikaru. Mikaru scratched his chin for a moment, before a look of revelation came across his face, and he put his stub into the air. "OH! Hisao, get dressed! We've got somewhere to be!"

* * *

><p>Over the following week, Hisao and the others continued to lead normal lives, getting to know each other and what they liked. As they did this, Hisao and Mikaru decided to take up the Nurse's recommendation of exercise, and joined Emi by the track each day. After a week of this, though, Hisao had had enough.<p>

Emi was just doing her stretches when she heard chuckling and angry muttering, punctuated with the occasional sound of a resounding smack. Turning around, arm stretching behind her neck, she brought them around to her face, using both hands to stifle a giggle as she took in the sight before her.

Mikaru was happily walking towards the track, waving at her. On his shoulder, Hisao was thrashing about, obviously not pleased about his position.

"Dammit, Mikaru, _put me down! _I can walk from here, dude!"

"Hahahah! No, I think you're fine where you are. You've already tried to bolt twice."

"Come on, man, _you're crushing my nuts!_"

Emi doubled over, laughing harder than she had ever remembered laughing before.

"_Hahaha_ – you guys are – _heheheh_ – so – _heheh_ – funny! _Heheheh_!"

Mikaru grinned at his legless friend before setting Hisao down, only to have him immediately roll onto the grass, cradling his pride.

"UUUUUHUHUH... Nhhhn... Uhhhn... oooohhhh..."

Hisao writhed for a little while longer, before getting up, bent over and coughing, but otherwise unscathed.

"Mikaruuuuu... Not... Cool... dude..."

He let out one more tremendous cough before rising to his full height. He looked back and forth at Emi and Mikaru, before stretching a little, soundlessly. When he was finished, he walked over to Emi, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Well... I'm here. _No thanks to Mikaru._ Are we gonna do this or what?"

Emi ignored his tone and reluctance, giving a happy nod before turning rapidly, jogging out to the field.

* * *

><p>The Nurse was having a bad morning.<p>

Yesterday had been nothing short of _awful_ for him, although he could never bring himself to say that he was unhappy with his job. After a string of late – night cases, all related in some way, shape or form to the _same, troublesome person_ – He barely had time to nap for an hour in his office, by the time the paperwork was finished. No, he had fortune to blame for his troubles.

Well, his_ trouble_.

... Which, as _fortune_ would have it, decided that _all night last night _wasn't enough work for him, but instead, he needed to drop _more people_ at his feet, just as he was making his desperately – needed morning Elixir – Coffee, of course.

_THUMPTHUMPTHUMP _"Nurse?"

_THUMPTHUMPTHUMP _"Nurse?"

_THUMPTHUMPTHUMP _"Nurse?"

_THUMPTHUMP - _"Oh god, what is it _now?_"

When he opened the door, He became much, much more alert when he saw Hisao, clutching at his chest, struggling for breath. It didn't even register that the other two teenagers – well, one teenager and one giant – were there.

"Oh, Hisao. Come, quickly. Let's take a look at you."

After a short few minutes, Hisao was stabilized, and the Nurse started his interrogation.

"Mikaru. What happened, exactly?"

He turned expectantly, leaving the other two sputtering and confused. Hisao spoke up, trying to fill in for his friend.

"I told you, I -"

The Nurse shifted his eyes, one hand held out in front of Hisao, the other on his lips as he shushed the duo. After a moment of silence, he turned back to Mikaru.

"- Well, sir, I can happily say that _this time, _I had jack – shit to do with it."

The Nurse tried to frown at his language, but laughed instead. _Damn him, and his accursed charisma..._

"... You see, Hisao was being an idiot. He saw Emi and I running, and while he was running as well, he wasn't as fast as us. So, despite the fact that both Emi and myself are trained athletes, with almost ten years of experience and vigorous training in between us, he decided that the ONLY LOGICAL CHOICE -" Mikaru turned and said that last part to Hisao directly, much like a mother would when speaking to a father when a child had done wrong, and turned back. "- Was to _race _us, even though he's out of shape, has a fatal heart condition, and had spent the better part of the morning punching and kicking me!"

Mikaru wasn't really mad, he was just concerned, so Hisao wasn't as offended as he could be. The Nurse seemed to get that too, so he pinched the bridge of his nose, turning away from the three of them, before turning back to Hisao.

"Hisao? Did you _really _try to fight Mikaru into not running today?"

"_... yes..."_

"... and did you _really_ try to beat the two peak – condition athletes in a technically unending race, because your manly pride _demanded it?_"

"_... Yess..."_

The Nurse sighed, and looked firmly at him.

"... Hisao, unless you're _trying_ to get yourself killed, _please_ don't do those things again. I expect you to continue your running every day, and you will _not_ try to _give yourself a heart attack just to get out of it! _Is that understood!?"

Hisao's eyes snapped up at the Nurse, trembling a little, before lowering his head and sighing himself.

"... Yes, sir. Sorry, Emi. Sorry, Mikaru."

"Good. Now, unless either of _you_ have anything to say to me, then _scram._"

They both looked a little taken aback, but nodded and left. Hisao gave a prompt bow, turning and following before the door closed.

Once, just this once, The Nurse wished he had turned them away, if only for his own sanity.

* * *

><p>The cafeteria was a little noisy, but otherwise pleasant and calm as the three teenagers ate in comfortable silence. Just then, They heard a cough to their right, and they turned.<p>

Lilly was standing at the side of the table, a small bag hanging from her wrist and a cane in her other hand. Mikaru slapped the table beside Hisao with his stump, saying, "Oh, greetings, Lilly. Me, Hisao and Ibarazaki Emi were just eating breakfast. Care to join us?"

She let out a small smile, more out of courtesy than anything, before awkwardly maneuvering herself into a spot and sat. She turned to Hisao, and said "Hello, Mikaru. How are you today?"

The table, which had already been quiet, filled with quiet laughter from the other side of the table from her. Mikaru spoke then. "Oh, My apologies, Lilly. I should have told you. Me and Hisao are across from one another. You are seated beside him. In fact, you just spoke into his fork."

She blushed a little, looking more confused than annoyed, but shook it off and turned to Mikaru. "Ah, so you've been practising your manners, I see. You've made good progress, for a week..."

Hisao balked at Lilly, While Emi and Mikaru both laughed at her jab. "I try, My sweet. So! What brings you to the pauper's table at such an indecent hour?"

Lilly grinned at Mikaru's clever comeback, and retorted "My, such familiar words. Why, I don't believe that we've even properly _dined_ together yet."

She looked pleased with herself. If Hisao could look any more mortified, he would. Emi and Mikaru, on the other hand, were having the time of their lives.

"Is _this _how you became friends with Satou Lilly? I'm amazed you survived the _night_, Mikaru!"

They all laughed a little at Emi's words, even the shell-shocked Hisao. After a moment of laughter, Lilly adopted her usual, pleasantly comforting smile and spoke. "Mikaru? Are you eating right now? I don't believe that I _have _heard of you eating yet. And it has been a week, already..."

Mikaru looked down at his... thing, and said: "Oh, well, I'll be honest. I didn't eat yesterday, but I am currently slurping down a... _delectable_... blended... uh... _blended something._"

Lilly frowned at that, and pressed further. "You know, I can't help but being concerned at that. I felt you yesterday, and you are _very large -_"

Emi and Hisao froze, each for different (but admittedly similar) reasons.

"... Did I say something wrong?"

Mikaru awkwardly laughed, before starting on his saving throw.

"Oh, guys, cut it out, would ya? She's blind! It was the only way she could have any idea of what I looked like. And, besides. To hide _this hotness _from _anyone_ should be a mortal sin. But yes, Lilly, I apologize for concerning you. I only neglected to eat yesterday because I was too busy to find something appropriate, and the rest of my equipment hasn't arrived yet."

This, somehow, managed to completely distract everyone from Lilly's blunder, but the pressure was on now, and Hisao had words.

"Waiiiiit a second... Now you just wait _one god damn minute. Are you SERIOUSLY telling me that out of the whole THOUSAND Kilograms of CRAP we lugged to YOUR room, which made us an HOUR LATE for our FIRST CLASS, not a SINGLE GRAM of it was ANYTHING that could KEEP YOU ALIVE?!_"

Mikaru grinned awkwardly between the three of them, as all of them had now pointed themselves at him and were waiting expectantly to chew him out for his foolishness. Mikaru, being the brave man that he is, accepted his fate.

"... Yeah. That is 100%, undeniably true. In fact, over half of that weight was my exercise equipment, which may I add, I handled myself. Hisao, you had my clothing, as well as a few little baubles I'd collected from my time... my time in..."

Emi still didn't know.

"Your time _where, _Mikaru? _Where _were you spending time?"

Mikaru looked at Emi, sighing loudly. He looked down, not wanting to meet anybody's eyes.

"Well, I don't think you _spend _time... in Juvy, really... "

Emi looked at him, her face making a series of large 'O' shapes. Mikaru looked up at her, meeting her eyes.

"... _Oh._"

Unable to hold his gaze, she looked away, at the ground. She looked back at him in a moment, before speaking softly.

"You didn't... you probably didn't really want to say that."

He looked down at the table, the shame he felt forcing a blush across his cheeks. It didn't stay long, though, because after a short while, he felt a small hand brush against the end of his stub, and grasp his large forearm.

"... It's... It's ok, Mikaru. I... I'm sorry that I... I did that to you."

He looked at her, seeing her troubled but calm features, and he smiled a small smile, before looking back to his food, slurping it's remains, and standing from the table.

"Well, it was... _heh. _It was shit. I'm going to go blow off some steam in the woods. I'll see you all later, ne?"

He looked at Emi for the last part, it being more her question than his, and she gave a small nod of approval. Feeling no comfort from it, but accepting it for what it was, he turned from them, walking quickly out of the cafeteria.

* * *

><p>Hitting <em>real <em>things, _without_ the gauntlets, was liberating.

... Even if it was just as stubborn as he was.

_It's funny, _the boy mused, as he pounded away at the tree before him, _How concrete, the pillar from which modern society is built, breaks so easily, and yet this silly old tree stands strong. _

He was right, of course. The tree was seven hundred years old. It's bark was thick, and it's sheer size and the deepness of the roots kept it completely still as he pounded away. He was painfully aware of the amount of blood seeping from the leathery, pink flesh at the end of his arms, and he was also aware of the dark blue tint those arms had taken, but he was uncaring.

They weren't _his _arms.

_His_ arms had hands on them.

_His_ arms weren't covered in blood, or scars or shame.

_His _arms still had a family he could hold, and love and cherish.

... No, these _things _weren't his arms at all.

"H – Hey! Listen to me!"

He didn't hear the pleading voice behind him. All he heard was the rhythmic _swooshing_ and _pulsing _of the blood in his ears, leaving him hot and sweaty.

"S – STOP IT!"

... He heard that time. His arm collided once more with the tree, shaking it tremendously, leaves falling around them and littering the ground. His arm stayed there, his flesh nearly molded into the bark, before he slowly let it drop to his side. The noise of wind, rushing through the trees, the man's labored breathing and the tiny _pitter – patter _of blood was prominent in the scene.

All of a sudden, the strange tranquility of the moment was broken, as the sound of light foot falls on the leaves permeated the area. There was about five seconds in between each foot fall, each one barely sounding any different than the other to the young man in the clearing. After a minute of this, he raised his arm again slowly and started hitting the trunk. His motions were subdued, but erratic at the same time. Each impact punctuated the rush of blood in his ears, behind his eyes, and the sharp intake of searing – hot liquid breath through his nostrils. Eventually, the stub wasn't enough, so he dropped to his knees, the extra distance it gave him allowing him to hit the tree with his elbow instead. Each hit got faster and faster, and as it did, several things happened at once.

A hollow, mournful scream bubbled from his chest; a crescendo of emotion.

The rhythmic pounding of his blood and strikes harmonized and quickened; a crescendo of pulse.

The girl's footfalls quickened, speeding her ever – faster to the dangerous, broken man; a crescendo of bravery.

And when they reached their climax, it was all at once; then it was full – stop.

_Pianissimo_ were the sounds of mourning from behind him, as he rested his beaten and bloodied appendages on the soft, damp earth before him. Eventually, he felt the liquid heat in his chest boil over, pooling instead in his own eyes, spilling over onto the bloodstained earth below.

His sobs were quiet and soft; like a small child, trapped inside a terrifying box with no light and room only to breathe. As he wept, he heard rustling behind him, and then felt two soft, thin arms wrap around him. He felt her chest heave against his back, but even when she was this close he could barely hear her cry. The thought only made him cry harder.

She tugged him back, tightening her grip. He merely leaned back, resting his bloodied stumps on his lap, his head hung low. She held him like that, crying with him, for an indeterminable amount of time. Eventually, though, the man's tears stilled, and he spoke. His voice was barely above a whisper.

"... You weren't supposed to see this... why are you crying?"

She tightened her arms a little, forcing his head to roll back weakly. Her voice came as a whisper, right beside his ear.

"Because... it... it's not fair that you think that you can be... that you can be brave... all by yourself."

Those words were the strangest words he had ever heard. They were selfish and selfless, all at the same time; Biting, chiding, and yet soothing and sweet as well. They were words that he, himself, would say, if he were truly brave enough to form the thought on his own. Right then, he decided something. He decided that, one day, no matter what it cost him, he wanted to be as brave as the girl that was his cradle. He wanted to have the courage to find the scariest, most dangerous thing he could imagine, open his arms and embrace it like she did. He decided that one day, _he _would be the one to beat the monster, and save the broken heart it threatened.

He was sure that, if he could find it in himself to be happy again, that it would feel like this. This balm, that threatened to take all of the hurt away in a vice – grip, and crush it with compassion.

He leaned forward, breaking the embrace slowly. By now, she had finished crying, and the moment was done. The blood, tears, and thoughts had all dried up by now. The only thing left now was to move forward.

"... Hanako?"

He stood, and she met his eyes. She had tear tracks running down her face, and her unmarred skin was blotchy and red from the heat of the moment.

_It's... it's beautiful..._

"... Do you want my sweater still?"

She, despite herself, let out a sharp rap of laughter, looking at the shredded, bloody, black mess that was his clothing. Looking back at his eyes, she smiled a bit, shyly, and spoke.

"... No, I think... I don't think _either _of us... needs to..."

He chuckled, ignoring the throbbing pain ripping through his forearms. _It's my own fault anyway. _

At that, he steps forward, and she moves her hands towards his chest, moving up towards the zipper. Bringing it down, she watched her hands as they parted it at the bottom, moving back up the edges of the fabric. Meeting by his clavicle, they slowly part, bringing the once – nice clothing off of his body. When his arms were free, she opened her fingers slowly, letting it fall to the ground.

At that, she slowly swept her hands across, gliding her fingernails across the bloody, torn skin, and wrapped her hands around the middle. Bringing them up, she inspected them, remembering every single detail on the marred flesh, and then looked up to his face.

"... _I don't want to see this._"

He nods, understanding her despite the vague words. She wasn't so much bothered by the sight before her, as she was bothered by the path it took to get there. She didn't want him to go back to that place, no matter what, and really, neither did he.

Whatever she wanted, he would try to give it to her. _She had earned that much._

With that, they left together, side by side.

* * *

><p>Amazingly, they were on time, despite taking the time to return to the dormitory, find clothes and bandage his arms up. However that happened, he was unsure, but all he knew was that, when he entered before her, and all of the eyes turned to him, he knew what he had to do.<p>

_Deep Breath._

_Blinding smile. _

_Charisma, Charisma, Charisma._

_... Showtime._

"Hey, guys. Don't worry about me, just got into an epic battle with a thousand year – old tree, is all. I won, by the way."

Everyone laughed, and they took a seat, ready for the lecture.

* * *

><p>End of Chapter Eleven: Behind These Bars, Progress and it's Price!<p>

Next Time! Chapter Twelve: Behind These Bars, Secrets and Heart – to - Hearts!


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve: Behind These Bars, Secrets and Heart – to – Hearts!**

* * *

><p>"... I just don't get those two, Mikaru. They won't <em>leave me alone!<em>"

Hisao was sitting on the bench on the roof, watching his friend as he went through his routine with a passive awe. They had been working for three days since the new week had started, and things with Misha and Shizune were taking a surprising turn for Hisao.

"But... _they're cute, right? _Isn't that supposed to be a _good_ thing?"

Hisao scoffed at his friends suggestion, waving a hand dismissively and looking over his shoulder, eyes resting on some trees in the distance.

"- Yeah, _I wish. _No, they just want me to be a part of the student council."

Mikaru did not pause, but he considered the words before speaking.

"Well, Hisao... Maybe *Grunt* it's just their – WAY – of flirting *Grunt* with you. Or, MAYBE -"

He threw his last strike, a flawless repeat of the last time he did, when Hanako was watching.

"... It's the other way around. Maybe they planned on jumping your bones, _loving_ you into submission, before _popping_ _the question_, and leaving you _powerless_ to resist!"

He said this excitedly, but he was too busy with switching out to his plates to really look at Hisao's reaction to his statement.

"- _pfft, _suuuure. I admit, it's an... _enticing_ thought... but I'm not even sure if I'm interested in them _or_ the council. I mean,_ it's something to do_, sure, but I already have enough to do with you, Lilly and Hanako."

Mikaru grunted as the plates snapped onto the structures, and abruptly stood. He turned to Hisao, using his plate to summon him along. Hisao noticed the blood flowing from his arms, but barely grimaced as he nodded, and stood to follow.

"We're not _that _exciting,_ are we? _I mean, the most the four of us has done as a group is sit in the tea room, bickering a little. Personally? I think -"

They reached the back wall of the stairwell, overlooking the town. Abruptly, Mikaru launched himself into his pose, and started his 50 rep set of pushups.

"_You should consider... this more... carefully. _It's not like... you're interested in... either Lilly or Hanako... anyway... _right?"_

Hisao blushed, but Mikaru was too focused on counting reps to look at his flustered friend. Hisao, though, in a rare burst of bravery, spoke anyway.

"Well... I... I... _I'm not sure._"

Mikaru paused, in – between a rep, holding his half-bent arms steadily in place. He didn't move for almost ten seconds, but after that, he moved and spoke at the same time.

"_I nearly lost count there. 22. _So _that's_ why you clammed up in the cafeteria the other day. _You have the hots for Lilly, huh?"_

Hisao let out a nervous chuckle, before continuing shakily.

"I... I don't know, like I said. I'm definitely attracted to her, but... to be honest... I think she's more attracted to _you _than she ever could be to -"

"- No, Hisao. It wouldn't work."

Hisao balked at his friend.

"W – what's _that _supposed to mean? Am I _really_ that unattractive of a person?"

Mikaru gave something of a dark chuckle, and spoke steadily through his reps.

"- _No, dumbass. _ME and Lilly. Lilly and I wouldn't work. _You and Lilly, however..._"

He paused, despite himself. He knew this was the manipulative sociopath in him talking, but he couldn't help but actually _agree _with it for once.

"... You're a stubborn guy, Hisao. You're also an outstanding friend, and you have a _lot_ going for you. Even if it seems bleak now, I think there's hope for you two yet."

Hisao blushed, looking off into the distance again. "H – Hey, _cut that sappy crap out!_"

Mikaru finished his set of 50, getting back onto his feet and grinning.

"You're a lucky man, Hisao. You just bore witness to my _last ever _50 – set."

Hisao processed his words a little dumbly before balking at his friend.

"_You did 50?_"

Mikaru shrugged, turning away.

"... Yup. But _tomorrow, _I graduate to _75_. 50's not enough anymore."

Hisao followed his friend over to the bag, reaching into it and grabbing the gauze wrap, tissues and Hydrogen Peroxide. After his friend disengaged his arms from the rigs, he turned to him, and Hisao started dutifully cleaning the fresh wounds by his biceps.

"SSSsssss... ooohhhh, that _cold burn... _Hey, remember to triple-wrap that shit, ne?"

Mikaru was completely passive, but his voice held a bit of forced mirth. Hisao, on the other hand, just ignored it, emulating his friend and taking the words for what they were. After he finished the first arm, he started again.

"Mikaru... I was speaking with Emi a while ago and -"

Mikaru grunted, turning away his head from his friend.

"- Hisao, _please_. You _know _I'm not ready for that yet. I don't care _what_ she wants to say to me. I _can't _focus on that right now. I _can't _go back there yet."

Hisao wasn't exactly privy to the information he was talking about, but sighed in defeat anyhow.

"Heh, well, _that's that _then. Don't keep her waiting _too long though, _ok? She's going insane with worry."

Mikaru looked at his friend sceptically, but nodded anyway. _Just take the words for what they are._

"Well, I'm all dolled up now. Let's scram. I've got some mail coming soon, and I think I saw my moving truck coming up the hill."

"- _Hold up. Moving truck?! Just how much more useless crap are you bringing here, anyhow?_"

Mikaru blushed a bit, but didn't pause.

"- Hey, I paid the BIG BUCKS for that room, Hisao. I'm _going _to fill it with useless shit. I've _earned _that much."

Hisao chuckled at Mikaru's attitude about it, shoving his head through the straps and hoisting it up with the burly boy, seating them on his sturdy shoulders. Wiggling a bit, then gave each other a satisfied nod, and headed towards the stairwell, opening the door and making their way towards the dorms.

* * *

><p>"... Mr. Kanasu. What <em>exactly <em>am I looking at here?"

Mr. Mutou was standing off to the side on the concrete, flanked by Hisao and Mikaru, as a team of twelve workers moved about, carrying various appliances and pieces of furniture.

"_This_, Mutou, is _progress._"

The teacher hung his head, pinching the bridge of his nose as he usually did around Mikaru, and sighed deeply.

"Kanasu... _No._"

Mikaru stood before the man, drawing his attention and his gaze, before speaking in an inspirational tone.

"Respectfully, sir, I haven't even _seen _a couch in _five years, _let alone _sat down _in one. I've spent the past five years of my life paying for a crime I didn't commit. But I soldiered on! I took the beatings! I did my time! This is a _landmark _achievement for me! The day when I can _finally_ cast off the Iron Shackles of Oppression, and begin my life anew in the blinding happiness of NORMALCY! - And yet, despite all of the _hardship _I have endured, the embarrassment of being branded with a cultural stigma I didn't deserve, HERE YOU STAND! BEFORE ME, CASTING JUDGEMENT UPON ME FOR MY SINS, DENYING ME MY GOD – GIVEN RIGHT FOR MATERIALISTIC INDULGENCE! ..._Would you truly deny me this happiness?_"

Mr. Mutou let out a long, pained groan, looking at the ground before him, before sighing, closing his eyes at the sky, and speaking.

"... Some days, I find myself wondering if humanity has finally achieved true intelligence. I tell myself that we've made great strides, achieving new degrees of cultural understanding and scientific achievement on a daily basis. I wonder if, finally, humanity can be considered worthwhile. And on those days, I look at you, and it all comes crashing down. I wash my hands of this, Kanasu. You've won. Just make sure to _share _sometimes, ne?"

Mikaru grinned, his speech having achieved the desired effect, and he turned to the workers.

"GOOD NEWS, EVERYONE! BREAK IN FIVE, AND YOU'RE ALL GETTING A MASSIVE BONUS FOR YOUR HARD AND DILIGENT WORK!"

The workers all snapped their heads in his direction, and turned back to their work, going faster and harder than humanly possible.

... It was a good day.

* * *

><p>"Just how much money do you <em>have, <em>Mikaru? You must have forked over 15,000,000 Yen this week _alone._"

The two friends sat on a positively _amazing _couch, watching a movie on a _glorious _curved 96 inch screen in ear – gasmic 9.1 channel surround sound. Currently, they were content to eat the popcorn they had made in the microwave oven, and drinking a couple of brews that Mikaru had... _smuggled_... onto the campus.

It was a good life, indeed.

Mikaru didn't bother looking over at his friend as he spoke, using the paper scoop that was taped to his arm to eat more of the delicious, buttery snack.

"- Too much, Hisao. I honestly feel a little bad sometimes, how much money I have access to on a daily basis. _Ohhhhh, it's been SO LONG since I've eaten popcorn..._"

Hisao glanced over at his friend, raising an eyebrow quizzically. "OK, sure, but _how?_"

Mikaru looked over at his friend, slapping his forearm onto the side of the couch, effectively pausing the movie. Standing up, he walked over to his laptop, opened it, and pressed the giant button that rested in the centre.

"I'll show you. Gimme a sec, I gotta boot..."

Hisao stood up, the popcorn now forgotten, and looked over his friend's hunched shoulders. As he watched the screen, an unfamiliar start up screen booted, and then a dark green screen with a light green line flashed in the corner.

"Access: Compile Script in local disk, file address J:Documents:Binexe:Fuzzy:Temp. Access Cores 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. Boot Graphics Driver, File name: DXEU – 1477 – HBZFT – 93 – 2."

Hisao was _amazed._ He knew his friend was a decently smart guy, but seeing him so focused, and on a _computer_ no less, wasn't something he was expecting. Hisao was pulled from these thoughts, however, as the computer screen flashed a couple of times, and a strange home screen was displayed. Taking a moment, Mikaru spoke again.

"Access: Open Wide – Area – Network Tool, File name IB – x128 – 0."

A window popped up then, and Google's splash page displayed.

"Access: Open Tab 2"

An animation played, the Google splash page being swapped out for another page. It was a strange website, with an unfamiliar logo and the words "AttainableTech" written beneath it.

"This, Hisao, is _how. _My company, _AttainableTech_, deals in computer software and hardware specifically designed for handicapped persons and business applications, like Servers and work suites. We offer a wide range of specialized equipment and software, ranging from registered Microsoft Extension programs, proprietary third – party interface devices, and Operating Systems catered to a person's particular disability. This -"

He gestured to the laptop before him, continuing confidently. "- Is my baby. It's my work machine, and I've been using it and servicing it for a couple of years now. It's not even technically a _laptop_, according to the hardware manufacturer's guidelines. It's filled with proprietary technology, specifically designed for a desktop experience. I offer slightly less powerful models for people who don't have hands like me, or for the blind. Also, my Operating System is proprietary to myself. It's a 128 – bit work suite, with several different compatibility modules built in allowing dynamic socket – based software emulation. In other words, it's the _frankenputer._"

Hisao snapped out of his amazed trance and grinned at his friend's new-found enthusiasm.

"... Dude, you're _such a nerd._"

Mikaru laughed, and closed his computer. He turned back to the couch, taking a seat.

"- Yuuup. But, it pays the bills. You shoulda _seen_ me when I had _hands_, Hisao. I built my first computer when I was eight, after I stole my mom's credit card and hitch hiked to a computer warehouse. She was _soooo _pissed! But she was happy that I was happy, in the end..."

He looked down, visibly deflating a little.

"... Of course, we don't speak anymore. She was there, you know. When my sentence was passed down. I... stopped being her son when the word 'Guilty' was spoken."

Hisao looked over at his friend, sitting down beside him.

"I wouldn't know how that feels, Mikaru. My mother... She's always been a little distant, but..."

Mikaru looked up at his friend, giving a small smile.

"... Hanako likes computers too, you know."

Hisao grinned at his subject change, going along with it. _This is far more interesting, anyhow._

"Does she? I suppose it makes sense."

"Heh, now that you mention it, not so strange after all. She was _amazed _when I pulled out my machine. She probably would have _stolen_ it, if only it had a keyboard."

He looked down, shaking his head in amusement.

"... of course, I probably wouldn't have minded. It would have made her happy, you know?"

Hisao smirked mischievously at him. "Yeah, because you care _so much _about my and Lilly's happiness..."

Mikaru chuckled, looking up at the ceiling as he leaned back. "Hanako is... Hanako is something else. Personally, I don't think that Lilly gives her enough credit, but don't _ever_ let her hear that I said that."

Hisao laughed, and started.

"Hey, your secret is safe with me. Although, now that we're on the topic of friends... Emi really misses you. She regrets what she said, and just wants things to go back the way they are."

Mikaru leaned forward at that, looking at the ground again.

"... I know. I think I'm going to talk to her tomorrow. She probably didn't deserve it, but I just... I was scared, you know? Shit, listen to me. _What is it about Ibarazaki that has me scared shitless all the time?_"

Hisao thought for a moment.

_Maybe... maybe she reminds you of yourself. You both strive to not let your disabilities and pasts define you, effectively letting yourselves be defined in the process. You're both strong – willed, stubborn people with a cocky facade and an adoring fan base. Maybe you're scared that your Illusion of Normalcy will be shattered, taking your hope with it. _

"... it's the pigtails. _Definitely _the pigtails."

The boys chuckled at that, slipping into comfortable conversation and the movie for the rest of the night.

* * *

><p>"... So, how are things going with Mikaru?"<p>

Hanako froze at her friend's question. She wasn't really expecting that to be asked of her, but Lilly was her friend, so she answered.

"Well... They're... They're g – good..."

Lilly smiled at her friend, raising her cup to her lips and taking a sip of her tea.

"I've heard that you've been helping each other with your schoolwork."

Hanako nodded, despite the situation she was in, and spoke. Her voice was a little louder than before.

"... Yes. H – he... Mr. M – Mutou lets us work in the library. I don't... I give him the notes from the lecture, and he... he puts them into his... his computer."

Lilly raised an eyebrow at that. "Oh?"

Hanako nodded again, continuing.

"He... he speaks to it. And... it writes it... for him... it's... really complicated..."

Lilly chuckled, knowing that her friend was saving them _both_ from the long – winded explanation she would have wanted to give.

"... I take it that it's something special, then."

Hanako nodded, continuing.

"He... he made it himself, apparently..."

A look of recognition came across her face, and she spoke.

"... Oh. That's... That's pretty interesting, actually. In fact, I think I know something about that."

Hanako was the one intrigued now, waiting for Lilly to continue.

"... Back in Scotland, I have something similar. It's a computer that my family purchased for me, to try and help me with my work. There's a few of them in the computer lab, as well, although I don't spend much time there myself. It seems that our friend is a little smarter than we thought."

There was silence after that, both of them pondering this strange sequence of events, sipping their tea. After a short while, Lilly spoke again.

"Well, that's neither here nor there. Actually, Hanako, I have been meaning to speak with you about Mikaru for a little while now."

Hanako froze again, her cup half raised to her lips.

"... I think that it's been too long since we've gone to the Shanghai. I was going to ask you if I could bring Hisao along with us. If us three go, I don't think it would be very fair to leave Mikaru behind. However, I am unsure as to... as to how much... _freedom_... Mikaru has to wander about off – property."

Hanako pondered her friend's words. _How much freedom does he actually have? Do I even want him to come with us? No, that's stupid. I WANT him to come. I just..._

"I can... I can take care... take care of it, Lilly."

Lilly smiled at her friend, content to sit in silence for a while.

Hanako wasn't, but didn't know what to say, so she just stayed quiet. Eventually, the silence was too unnerving for her, and she stood up abruptly.

"- Hanako?"

She looked down at her friend, picking up her cup and plate.

"I think... I think I want to go... go for a walk..."

Lilly pondered that for a second, before nodding her assent and turning back to her cup. The action went unnoticed by Hanako though, as she was already heading for the door.

* * *

><p>Hanako walked into the night, the cold April air nipping at her face and legs. She decided that she didn't mind, though, because it was oddly refreshing to feel it after feeling so <em>hot<em> all the time. She pondered the nature of heat, of how it was so vital to live and yet, it took _so much _of her life away. A bitter chuckle sounded from her lips at that.

Hanako was a different person when she was like this. Outside, at night, alone, she didn't get the same feeling of dread that she did when she was trapped beneath the sun and light. It was liberating.

Black, it seemed, was Hanako's color.

These thoughts were pulled from her as she cast a glance over her shoulder, only to spot a lone figure huddled against a tree. On any other night, feeling any other way, she would have ignored the sight and walked away. Something about the way the person sat, however, _didn't_ sit right with her. In an unnatural spur of determination, she walked down the concrete path, turning back into the field, and approached the figure that sat beneath the tree.

When she arrived at the base of the tree, seeing Ibarazaki Emi wasn't high on her list of priorities. However, as she stood there, unnoticed by the tiny girl, she felt her hands clench, and her arms shake. _This girl _wasn't somebody she liked right now. _This girl _wasn't someone she thought deserved the attention she received from Mikaru. _This girl_ -

_Wait, what?_

Swallowing her thoughts into the pit of her stomach, she decided she needed to speak with her, and quietly approached. She went unnoticed by Emi until she had taken a seat, assuming the same position the other girl was in with ease.

"Hey, do you mind? I don't really feel like – _Hanako?_"

Hanako, for her part, didn't even look at the startled girl. She just sat, staring at the stars, thinking about what exactly she wanted to say.

"... Hello."

Emi was understandably floored by this occurrence. However, she wasn't one to ignore blessings from above, so she spoke.

"Hanako, I can't say I understand this, but I'm glad your here."

She stood up, and Hanako stood as well, still looking off into the distance.

"You see, it's about Mikaru. And, according to the gossip, _you _seem to be the authority on all things related to him."

Hanako turned towards the girl, watching her.

"I... I'm friends with him too, but... I just don't know what to think about -"

Without warning, Hanako slapped the girl right across the face. Emi's head turned at the slap, her right hand raising slowly to her cheek. The two girls stood there in silence, the wind rustling through the grass and branches being the only sound, before the shocked girl slowly turned her wide eyes to her assailant, completely taken aback.

"_H -Hanako..."_

Hanako watched the other girl with steady eyes, waiting for a second before she spoke.

"... No. You don't get to... _you didn't see._"

Without warning, Hanako grabbed the girl's wrist, and turned, pulling her off towards the forest. Emi couldn't _believe _what just occurred between the shy girl and herself, but couldn't find it in herself to feel angered by her actions. She didn't know how to process this turn of events, so she just plodded dumbly along behind the now – confident girl before her, startled by her aggressive gait and the firm set of her shoulders.

They walked for about twenty minutes, the legless girl stumbling at rough parts that didn't have a path, until they arrived at a clearing. The light of the moon did a good job of illuminating the scene, and Emi found herself in the middle of the clearing by herself, Hanako's hand no longer wrapped around her wrist. Turning back, she looked at the girl, observing her iron composure and piercing gaze. After a moment, the girl's left hand rose pointing past her to a tree at the edge of the clearing. Turning slowly, she plodded through the bumpy grass and loam, stumbling before deciding that she should look at the ground. When she did, it was with a shock that she saw the ground littered with leaves.

She saw something shiny on one of the leaves, and bent down to pick it up. Bringing her gaze across the surface of the uncharacteristically young leaf, she turned her gaze to the moon, rotating the stem of the leaf until she properly saw what it was she was holding. She gasped, staggering back until she fell to the ground, the leaf twirling to the earth. She watched it as it fell, the moonlight shining off of the dark splotches of blood that were there. Only when it disappeared behind the grass did she get up, looking around her at all the leaves, seeing something she had as of yet to notice.

Almost all of the leaves were shining like that one was, glittering with her every move. She spun around herself, watching the ground as she did, until her eyes fell upon something black. She slowly approached it, picking up the rough fabric in her hands, turning it over. After a few moments, she stood up, letting the sweater in her hands unravel and extend as she did. She brought her arms up, examining the sweater. Her eyes froze on the left sleeve, where the tearing and blood was prominent. Her eyes jumped to the other side, and when she saw the same thing, she started shaking. Turning slowly towards the tree, she approached it, glancing between the ground and the trunk.

She was right next to the tree when she noticed that these leaves were much more saturated than the ones to the rear of this spot, and she brought her eyes up along the trunk. She stopped when, after looking a little above her head, she noticed the blood that had settled into the bark there, which was chipped and mulched. She just stared at it for a while, the only things keeping her grounded being the sound of her breathing and the feel of the fabric in her hands.

After staring at the tree for five minutes, she let the fabric fall from her fingers, and she turned back to Hanako. Hanako was still watching her, arms at her sides, waiting. Emi took a few steps forward, before pausing, slumping her shoulders and looking at the ground.

"_... you did this."_

Emi's eyes snapped up at the girl, and she finally felt the guilt that had been gnawing at her on the way over here. She couldn't even speak.

Hanako turned, walking a few paces before pausing, and turning her head over her left shoulder.

"... This didn't happen."

She left then, walking away as the confused girl just slumped down, looking at the grass and leaves around her.

* * *

><p>Mikaru arrived at the track early that morning. Hisao said that he needed to shower first, so Mikaru let him. He was just starting to stretch when he felt two small arms wrap around him from behind, and a soft body press it's self into him. He paused for a second, and looked down at the arms. The hands that stuck out from them rested on his torso, unable to reach around completely. He brought his own arms down, the bandaged stumps coming to rest over the hands that held him. After a while of just standing there, the arms around him shifted, and Emi came around him, walking out in front of him a ways before stopping. She turned in his direction, and he looked at her.<p>

Her eyes were a little puffy, and they were red, but the smile on her face was undeniably happy as the sun crested over the trees behind her. All in all, it was a beautiful sight. One that Mikaru thought that he would never forget. This was, after all, a very special day for the two friends.

"... Ready to run?"

Her smile widened, and she nodded happily.

"Let's do this!"

* * *

><p>End of Chapter Twelve: Behind These Bars, Secrets and Heart to Hearts!<p>

Next Time! Chapter Thirteen: Behind These Bars, the Will of the Council!


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen: Behind These Bars, the Will of the Council!**

* * *

><p>The run was a refreshing thing for all of them; Mikaru, happy to be out in the sun so early, Emi, happy to have her friend back, and Hisao, happy that the others were much too busy thinking to themselves to notice him slacking off.<p>

After a time though, the run had to end, and the three teenagers said their goodbyes, heading their separate ways. Emi, who had yet to sleep, wanted to do that today. Mikaru, being intent on _not_ being sweaty, headed back to the dorms to shower, and Hisao, obviously, needed to head to the Nurse to assure him that he was, in fact, _not dead_, and that he was following his instructions.

So it was, that Hisao and Mikaru only met up again at the opening bell, where a decidedly passive Mutou observed the rare sight of an on – time Hisao and Mikaru. With a small smile, reserved and jesting, he motioned his head into the classroom where the two troublemakers went and sat. Mikaru frowned, not seeing Hanako in the classroom, but shrugged it off, intent on remembering everything he could about today's lecture. Even as the lecture finished, however, Hanako was nowhere to be found. Frowning, he took his leave of the classroom before heading to the library.

She wasn't there, either.

Frowning deeper, he got to work, finishing relatively quickly before the bell rang and he went about his business. Come lunchtime, he was about to head to the tea room when Emi came up to him, smiling.

"Hey, Mikaru! Do you want to come eat lunch with me today?"

Mikaru looked the girl over, whom had an extra bag with her, before nodding and giving her a smile.

"... Sure, I got time. Where are we headed?"

She shook her head, smiling more, and said "Follow me!"

He laughed, following her anyway. When they made it to the familiar stairwell, he quieted a little, but not much. _Well, this is a little awkward. Oh, well. Might as well enjoy it. _

The three teenagers sat on the bench, talking and generally having a good time.

"... You look funny."

Mikaru looked over at the head of auburn, and raised an eyebrow at the strange statement.

"You look happy, but... you're in the clouds. Not those clouds, of course. At least, not that I can see. You're pretty tall though."

Mikaru balked at the girl before Emi unknowingly came to his rescue.

"Hahaha, that's Rin for you. I think she means that you two are alike."

Rin just shrugged, leaning back. After that though, Emi started rooting around in the other bag, and held out a sandwich to Mikaru.

"Here! I made this for you!"

Mikaru was about to refuse but Emi scooted herself against him, lifting her food to his mouth. A little taken aback, he just opened his mouth and let her feed him.

The girl had her hand on his shoulder, holding herself upright as she fed him. His face lit up when he ate, despite himself.

"This is... I haven't had a real sandwich in..."

She smiled at him, continuing to feed him.

"I made it for you, because I wanted to apologize. Also, I heard through the grapevine that you weren't eating, and that just won't do!"

The boy made a mental note to purchase a shovel for Hisao's corpse, but quickly forgot when the tasty, real, _not blended _flavor of whole wheat, chicken, lettuce, soy sauce, mayo and ranch assaulted his taste buds, leaving him defenseless.

When lunch ended shortly after, they all got up a little restlessly, walking over to the stairwell. Emi went first, holding it open for Rin and Mikaru, but Mikaru shook his head.

"I think I'm gonna stay for a while. Your awesome food hit me like a rock, and I want to savor the feeling a while longer."

She beamed at him, nodding her head before turning away, letting the door close behind her. With a sigh, he sat back down, looking over at the hospital in the distance. Deciding that the sun in his eyes wasn't a comfortable thing, he got up from his spot, walking over to the stairwell. He passed it, continuing to the back. When he turned the corner, he stopped for a moment, surprised.

Hanako was sitting on the ground, clutching her knees, looking downwards at nothing. He was sure that she had noticed him, but was choosing to not look at him. He sat down quietly, looking over the low concrete wall to the view of the town in the distance.

"Hey, Hanako. I missed you in class today."

Her head tucked into her knees as he finished his sentence. He looked over at her, hearing her reaction, and a look of realization came across his face. Taking a moment to think about his next course of action, he made a decision and spoke.

"... Hanako. Do you want me to leave you alone?"

She shook her head rapidly, still refusing to meet his eyes.

"... are you... are you mad... at me?"

She looked a little in his direction, but her bangs obscured her face, making it impossible to really judge what she looked like. Mikaru shifted a little closer, testing the waters and looked back out at the town.

"... No. I was just worried about you. Do you want to talk about it at all?"

She shook her head again, but paused, turning her body a bit towards his and speaking into her knees.

"... you... you sounded... happy..."

Mikaru looked down at the girl, turning his body as well.

"... I did, didn't I? It must have been the food."

"... _but we offered you food..._"

He frowned at that, crossing his arms over his chest.

"... Actually, all Lilly did was tell me she had no idea how to handle me, if I remember correctly."

The girl looked up at his comment, seeing his eyes, and blushed before looking away.

"... I would have... I would have done... would have..."

Mikaru smiled down at the troubled girl, deciding to take a risk. Sliding completely over to her, he put his arm around her shoulder. She immediately flinched and tensed, but after a while she just relaxed into the position.

"I know you would have, Hanako. It's not too late, you know. There will _always _be another meal. That is, if you want one... "

Hanako looked up at him, watching the boy. He was gazing off into the distance, his face completely calm and relaxed. She could see that his mouth naturally settled into the slightest of frowns, but she thought that it suited him nicely. From her position, she could barely see his eyes, as the light reflected in them. He was a stoic sight, she decided.

"... actually, I... I do. Lilly... Lilly, I and Hi – Hisao were planning on... on going to... going to town today, but I wanted... I wanted you... for you to come, as well..."

Mikaru turned to the girl, smiling down at her. She was blushing profusely, but it took her a second to register that he could see before she looked down.

"It's... it's ok if... if you'd rather... _stay with Emi_... I... I don't -"

Mikaru let out a laugh, and used his free stump to bring her eyes to meet his gently.

"Hanako, if you want me to go, then I will. After all, Emi's not the one asking, is she?"

She blushed even more, looking down again. Content with the conversation, he tightened his arm around the girl, pulling her closer. She did not object to the action.

"Lilly was... Lilly was worried that... you wouldn't... be able to... to leave..."

Mikaru paused, then rubbed her shoulder with his arm.

"That's... that's fair. I haven't done anything wrong, though. It shouldn't be an issue, not that I can see."

Hanako tucked herself into his body, giving a little nod. Mikaru looked of into the distance, thinking for a while. He spoke.

"Hey, Hanako? Do you want to go to class now?"

She looked up at him, thinking. He was still looking out into the distance.

_I... I think we should, but... what's... what's one day, right?_

_This feels so nice, too... _

"... N – no."

Mikaru gave a bit of a chuckle, settling back into a more comfortable position.

"... You sound tired, Hanako. Did you get much sleep last night? Eh, I don't really need to know. If you want to, I won't mind if you take a nap. I'll wake you up before the bell rings, so you can go back to the dorms and get ready. I'll..."

He paused, and she looked up at him.

"_... I'll bring you a sweater."_

She smiled at that, and decided that she _definitely _wanted to go to sleep.

* * *

><p>Hanako left before he did. He told her that he wanted to stretch a bit before he left, so she didn't object. Mikaru detested liars, so he stretched. Although, to be honest, stretching wasn't what he really had in mind when he stayed. No, the two things on his mind were Emi and Hanako, and the strange feelings he had about them.<p>

Ever since the incident in the cafeteria, nobody in their group talked about Emi. A problem was there, but they ignored it. Mikaru, though, hadn't.

And apparently, neither did Hanako. In a way, he understood, but something about the whole thing felt... off. Like Hanako and Emi had history, or at least words about that incident, and neither of those things sat well with him. What words were spoken between the two? And what was Emi's stance on him? Sure, they were friends still, and it certainly _felt_ friendly, but... it felt like _more,_ too.

And then, there was Hanako. He _knew_ that he was treading on thin ice there. While he didn't relish the premise on walking around eggshells, it seemed that things were happening almost too fast with Hanako. He didn't know if he was only one who noticed it, either. Should he back off? Was she just too nice, or lonely, to say no? He didn't know. _He didn't know._

All of this was new to him, after all. _You don't get _co – ed in the slammer. It was unheard of. And, if it _did_ happen, he feared for the girl's safeties. And the guys, for that matter. To some, fearing _for _a criminal, instead of just plain _fearing_ one, was a strange thing. However, Mikaru was, as he had found out quickly, not alone in his situation. Quite the opposite, in fact.

There were loads of innocent people in the Criminal Justice system. People just like him, who had been victims of circumstance, or just plain victims. And then there were the people who had no choice. _Those _were the ones his heart ached for the most. They were people whom were forced into terrifying situations with little oversight, acted in the only way they could, and then were punished when evidence of their helplessness couldn't be found. Sure, there were a lot of bad people in prison, where they belonged, but in a way this made sense. I mean, _everyone _is innocent until proven guilty. Even if it's only _mostly_ guilty, there is evidence, and unless counter – evidence is provided, it _must _be sufficient. If it weren't, then half of those bad people in jail... wouldn't be in jail at all.

In Mikaru's mind, while he was mainly a victim of the criminal justice system, it wasn't the time lost that was the crime. Hell, he could barely call it _lost time, _anymore. He had accomplished too much from behind bars to say otherwise. No, the _real _crime was the _stigma that came_ with the time. Shouldn't being judged _once_ be _enough_? No, it apparently wasn't.

_That's _what bothered him. People automatically assuming he was dangerous, or an amoral person, just because he was in jail for a time, was what he couldn't stand. With that in mind, though, a moment of startling clarity hit him.

_That's why... that's why I like Hanako so much. She was one of the first people to ever see me for who I was. She didn't assume. She wanted to get to know me, and understand me, before she judged me. While I don't relish the thought of Hanako judging me, it's not so bad when I think about the fact that she isn't doing it based on half – truths and hearsay. _

But, Emi? _Emi judged him. _She wanted to make amends, and someday, she may succeed, but... that day couldn't be today. That was why he decided that...

If it ever came down to a choice between the two girls...

Hanako had already won.

* * *

><p>Mikaru stepped out of the stairwell, walking down the hall. "That was... unnerving. Heh, I sound like Hisao..."<p>

He was about to turn the corner when he felt a tug on his sleeve. Turning around, he noticed an average – looking girl staring up at him, blushing.

"Oh, hey there. I didn't see you. What's up?"

The girl blushed more, looking down.

"Uh... uh... you're..."

Mikaru leaned against the wall of the hallway, waiting bemusedly for the girl to finish her sentence.

"... You're... you're really handsome..."

He chuckled warmly at the girl's words, causing the girl's eyes to snap up to his.

"Well, that was really kind of you to say. Thank you, miss..."

She smiled a bit, zoning out. Mikaru waited patiently with a smile on his face for five seconds before becoming concerned.

"Uh, miss? Hello?"

He waved a stub in front of her face. _Nothing. Well, shit._

Just then, he noticed Hisao, looking at him with a pained expression through one of the windows inside a classroom. Frowning at the girl, he put his arms on her shoulders, gently moving her out of the way.

"Pardon me, but I gotta go. It was nice chatting with you!"

"But... but... _EEEEE_!"

He was already halfway to the door, but he couldn't help but chuckle as the sound of fleeing feet reached his ears.

Arriving at the door, he made himself known to it's occupants.

_THUMPTHUMPTHUMP _"Hello?"

THUMPTHUMPTHUMP "Hello?"

THUMPTHUMPTHUMP "Hello?"

THUMP – The door swung open, and a smiling girl with pink hair greeted him.

"'Hello?' WHAHAHAHAHA! Well 'Hello' to you too, Mikachan!"

Misha was bubbly as all hell, and she had a ridiculously large smile on her face. She was only the slightest bit on the short side, nothing like Emi, but Mikaru still dwarfed her. With that being the case, it was easy for him to look over her head, and see his friend being practically manhandled by a girl with blue hair, glasses, and an angry expression on her face. Hisao looked at Mikaru like he was an angel, and almost cried at the beauty of the moment.

"Mikaru! I'm _so _glad to see you again!"

Mikaru looked over at the bubbly girl, whom hadn't moved an inch, except to follow his face. She didn't miss a beat as she saw his eyes again.

"Whahahaha! Me, Shicchan and Hicchan were just talking about the festival, right Hicchan? Right? Right?"

Hisao looked between his friend and the exuberant girl and nodded.

"Yes, _Shizune_ was just explaining my... my obligations to me."

Mikaru frowned a little, stepping past the bubbly girl and towards his friend. He spoke out loud into the room.

"Oh, I see. So, this has _absolutely_ nothing to do with the Student Council, _or _the dinner date with the others we had planned?"

Hisao saw what he was doing, and Shizune looked past him at the bubbly girl, and started moving her hands excitedly. Mikaru, however, watched her hands intently.

Shizune: [What? A Date? Are you seriously telling me that Hisao already has a date after a week?]

There was a pause, and Mikaru looked at his friend with mirth in his eyes. Hisao looked at the blue haired girl, and back to Mikaru, face flashing with surprise briefly before he set it back into the look of fear and intimidation he had it in before. Just then, the bubbly girl came up from behind him, turning to him, and spoke.

"Whahahaha! Nope! Hisao was going to help us set up the festival, is all. He didn't say anything about already having plans, though!"

Mikaru had a hell of a poker face, and it was put to use here. He looked over to Hisao, speaking as the bubbly girl went beside Shizune and Hisao stood beside him.

"Well, that's my fault really. I was supposed to talk to Hanako about it, but didn't find her until later in the day. I was actually just looking for him, in fact. The others are getting worried, you see, so..."

He watched the bubbly girl sign as he spoke, taking in as much as he could.

Mishal: {- gosh! What should I say? I can't just tell them that you want to jump Hisao's bones, and are only trying to get him to join up to get close to him!}

Mikaru looked to Shizune, who was already signing back rapidly.

Shizune: [Tell them that it's rude to back out of an obligation, and that if they want to leave, then Hisao has to promise to join the council! I'm going to get him to go look for plywood then, and after that, I'm going to start with the plan!]

He snapped his head back to the bubbly girls face as she turned, effectively making his knowledge of the situation secret.

"... Shicchan says, that she doesn't know how she's going to get all of this done by herself, and she _really _needs the help though!"

Hisao looked torn, and was about to speak, but Mikaru interrupted him.

"Oh really? Well, that's unfortunate, but how do we even know if we can be of much help? It's already after school anyways. If you guys are on the council, then it's your job to find a way. And..."

_Pull out the .357..._

"... besides that..."

_Set the hammer..._

"Isn't it rude..."

_Pull the trigger._

"... To back out of a previous obligation?"

Bubbly, for her part, had a hell of a poker face as well. She turned to Shizune, and started signing.

Misha: {Shizune... I think our cover is blown. Mikaru said that we should worry about it ourselves since we're on the council and it's our jobs, and that it's rude to back out of a previous obligation...}

Shizune looked a little angry, not even looking at Hisao or Mikaru before signing back furiously.

Shizune: [Misha, don't be a dunce! He doesn't even have hands! Why would that big lug need to know sign language?! He's too dumb to understand it anyway! Look, let's just get cute on them. We can use our feminine charms to convince them both to help find the plywood and help us build the stands, and then when they finish, we can take them out and bam! Hisao will be mine, and Mikaru can be whatever you want!]

Mikaru turned back to Misha, who took a second before turning back, and starting their plan.

"Hisao, Mikaru, _please don't go!_ Shizune and I _really _need the help, and we... we..."

She sniffled a bit, bringing her arms to her chest. Hisao was buying it wholeheartedly, so Mikaru stealthily bumped into him while the girls closed their eyes, preparing their cuteness. He whispered into his friends ear, and they both nodded resolutely.

"Hisao, whatever those two do next... _don't believe it. _It's a sham_. Lilly, man! _This is_ Satou Lilly _we're talking about_. The Amazon!_"

When they were ready, the girls looked up at the boys, their eyes puffy and red, pouting and puppy- eyed. If it were in _any other situation_, the boys would no doubt find themselves heartbroken before they had a chance.

"We don't know what we're going to do! The festival is this Saturday, and we need to find attractions, and we need to build stands, but we're all out of plywood and we don't -"

Mikaru looked genuinely concerned for the girl's plights. However, if these girls wanted to play ball, he was _always _game, and he had _all _the bases covered.

"Hey, hey, calm down. Look, Hisao and I feel really bad about this, we do, but we can't get out of this date with the girls. I'm really, really sorry. You know what, though? I think I can..."

He looked at Misha and Shizune for a second, building the suspense and letting Misha catch up.

"... I think that _I _can take care of this _plywood _thing. _Permanently_."

Misha froze mid sentence, the cuteness almost completely wiping from her body, and she grabbed Shizune and turned her around signing animatedly. Mikaru grinned, seeing their conversation unfold through body language, but only having a vague idea of what they were saying at this point.

After a minute of deliberation, Misha and Shizune turned around, looking cute and expectant at Mikaru.

"Y - you do?"

Mikaru grinned, nodding at the girls.

"Yep. You guys wouldn't know this, but I'm _rich. _Like, _really, really rich._ But, more than that, I'm _generous_. What I'm offering you is a _lifetime supply _of plywood and other stall materials, delivered to the school from the hardware store in the town."

Misha balked at the offer, staring at his face while signing to Shizune. Mikaru watched through his peripheral vision.

Misha: {He... He... Shizune! He just offered us a lifetime supply of stall materials from the hardware store!}

Shizune snapped her eyes up to his, genuinely taken aback at this turn of events. Staring much in the way Misha did, she signed absently over to Misha.

"Shizune says... Shizune says that she'd love to accept, and that we'll do _anything_ to make it up to you."

Mikaru pretended to consider it, before looking at Hisao, and saying, _"Anything, _you say? In _that case..."._

He turned back to Misha before finishing his sentence.

"... In that case, my price will be _nothing less_ than Hisao's exemption from _all_ student council obligations, as well as yours and Shizune's word that you two will make _no further attempts _at indoctrinating him."

Misha absorbed his words, finishing her signing as Mikaru finished his sentence. She looked over at Shizune who glared daggers at Mikaru before turning to Misha and signing slowly.

Misha turns to Mikaru, and speaks slowly.

"... Shicchan says that your terms are agreeable, and... that you played a good game. OH, and -"

She perked up, grinning at Mikaru, before She and Shizune made to leave.

"- Shicchan says that this is _far _from over, and that _it is on_! Wahahahahahaha!"

They fled then.

Hisao just looked at Mikaru, dumbfounded.

"What... What just... What..."

Mikaru grinned, taking his friend's arm and leading him out while talking.

"That, my friend, is for privileged eyes only. Now, come on! We've got beautiful girls waiting on us!"

* * *

><p>End of Chapter Thirteen: Behind These Bars, the Will of the Council!<p>

Next Time! Chapter Fourteen: Behind These Bars, Date Night, and Something More!


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen: Behind These Bars, Date Night, and Something More!**

* * *

><p>Mikaru was quick to clean up. He didn't have much hair, so he didn't need to style it. He always shaved in the morning, so that was out of the question as well. As for his wardrobe, well... It was certainly lacking, but most of it was reasonable to wear if only because of the brands he purchased. So, it came as no surprise to him when as he was already leaving, extra sweater in hand, Hisao was barely getting out of the shower, his toothbrush still moving as his towel tried to flee his hips.<p>

"_Don't be laaate, Hisao..."_

Hisao shoved him out of the way with his shoulder, growling through his toothpaste, and Mikaru laughed. Turning away, he walked briskly to the stairs, having remembered his own tardiness. He took them three at a time until he made it to the right floor, striding confidently through the lobby. His gait died at the door, however, when he saw Hanako waiting outside in the doorway.

Hanako was, without a doubt, dolled up, wearing a cute black hat and thigh-high socks with a striped pattern on them. She waited with her hands gripped in front of her chest, looking down. She was wearing a white shirt with the slightest hint of a swirling pattern to them, and had a jacket in her arms. She looked up, her face brightening when she saw Mikaru.

At that, Mikaru let out a large smile, slowly making his way out of the second door, and standing before Hanako.

"_Y – you came_... I... I was worried... worried that you had changed your... your mind..."

He walked up to Hanako, extending his sweater to her.

"That's... I wouldn't want to miss this, Hanako. Here, for you."

She took the sweater into her hands, looking at it. Her eyes were examining it closely, remembering every single loose thread and scuff, before she slowly put it over her shoulders. She slid her hands through, actually managing to see her hands at the other side. The sweater's bottom extended to the top of her socks, and she looked at him.

"Yeah, I figured that one would be a better fit. And it's clean, too!"

She laughed at his words, wrapping her arms around herself, enjoying the feeling of the sweater on her skin. After she did that for a few seconds, Mikaru stepped down from the raised concrete slab, turning and extending his left stub to her. He looked up at her expectantly, with a soft smile as she examined the scene before her. She blushed a little, but extended her left hand outwards, taking his arm in her hand and stepping down. When she was beside her, he dropped his arm. Much to his surprise, she wrapped her hands gingerly around his arm again, holding him by the elbow now. He smiled at the action, walking with her towards the girl's dormitories.

"So, where's Lilly anyhow?"

Hanako answered immediately, but it wasn't easy for her.

"Lilly is... uhm... well... uhh... _Lilly *Mumble*_"

Mikaru didn't stop but looked down at Hanako. "Pardon me, Hanako?"

She blushed, slowing down a little. Mikaru did as well, until they were stopped and face to face. She had one hand on her arm still, but the other was resting in front of her chest. She looked down and to the right, away from Mikaru, and he waited patiently.

"... _Lilly is late._"

Mikaru waited for a second, processing her words, before laughing a bit, stepping a bit closer.

"Oh, Hisao would just _love _to know that right about now. He was scrambling like mad just to look _half as good as you do._"

Hanako blushed madly, stepping towards Mikaru and hiding her face under his chest. Her hands were in between them now, her palms and fingers splayed across his abdomen.

"_..._ _Thank... you..._"

Hanako was actually beaming. She didn't show him, much to his chagrin, but she had a good idea that he knew what he did.

_Does... does he really think I look... that I look good? Really?_

"Hanako? Are you there?"

Hanako broke away from Mikaru instantly, blushing even though Lilly couldn't actually see what was going on. Mikaru took charge.

"Lilly! Over here!"

Lily turned her head in his direction, taking her cane in front of her and tapping her way over to them. When she was eight feet away, Mikaru spoke again.

"Hello, Lilly. I am here with Hanako, who is standing to my left."

Lilly turned her head again, walking three feet forward until she was standing in front of Mikaru.

"Hello, Mikaru, hello Hanako. Where is Hisao? Could you find him?"

She had her eyes open, an expectant look on her face. She frowned when Mikaru chuckled.

"Ah, Hisao. Yes, I found him. He was thoroughly in the grasp of the Council."

Lilly deflated slightly, turning her head downwards. "... Oh. Shall we be going then?"

Mikaru chuckled again, speaking. Lilly looked up, confused.

"Oh, no. Hisao would _murder _me if I let us leave. He _was_ in the grasp of the council – or, should I say, Shizune's clutches – but I managed to wrestle him away. He's just getting ready now."

She inflated again, a look of excitement on her face. "Really?!"

Mikaru chuckled again, letting slip a small jab at his friend.

"Yes, he is. He has it in his head that he has to look _perfect _tonight..."

Lilly paused for a second, then let out a giggle behind her hand.

"Did he now? Well then, I'll have to have Hanako tell me all about it."

Hanako looked up at the mention of her name, but said nothing. Just then, Hisao made a mad rush across the concrete, stumbling as he went.

"L – Lilly!"

He thundered over to the group, bending low when he arrived. He was panting from his exertion, and Mikaru frowned. He was about to speak, when Lilly beat him to it, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Hisao, are you well? There was no need to rush yourself, you know. Mikaru made it clear that you were coming."

Hisao panted for a couple of seconds longer, before standing up tall, managing to speak.

"*pant pant* - Heh. I'm *pant* glad that -"

He drew a deep breath, exhaling loudly, before he composed himself and spoke properly.

"- Thank you, Mikaru. I'm sorry for worrying you, Lilly. I'm fine, though, and I'm here too."

She smiled, lowering her hand.

"Now then, shall we be going?"

* * *

><p>The four walked in companionable silence down the hill, Lilly holding onto Hisao's arm, and Hanako lightly holding Mikaru's sweater. Mikaru looked over at the other two, and decided that a little fun was necessary to start off the night.<p>

"So, Hisao. _You look rather fetching tonight._"

Hanako snapped her head up to Mikaru's, whom was looking forward at the path ahead of them. Hisao cast a glance over at his friend, using his free hand to adjust his collar, and smirked a little.

"Well, I try, you know?"

Mikaru chuckled, not missing a beat.

"- Oh, but I do. Why, you were hardly able to keep your towel on in the hallway you were trying so hard..."

Lilly chuckled, and Hisao blushed at his friend.

"H – Hey, man, that's not cool! And what are you even _getting at, _anyhow?"

He looked over to Lilly, whom was still laughing, and was confused. She looked up at him, her cloudy blue eyes pointed at his mouth and spoke.

"Hisao, your friend is obviously teasing you, and your... your _oversight_..."

She laughed at the joke made at her own expense, and the gears in Hisao's head started grinding rapidly. Only when Hanako, too, started laughing did it all click into place.

"M – _Mikaru?! How could you let me do that?! Why didn't you say anything before?_"

Mikaru nearly doubled over, almost crying.

"Be – Because of – _of this!_"

He kept laughing, making Hisao blush and turn his head to the road, steering them subtly back onto the path and off of the road.

"... _you don't sleep tonight._"

* * *

><p>The sun had set by now, and the scene that the four painted was nothing short of heartwarming. Hisao and Lilly were seated side by side, facing each other and talking animatedly about something. Lilly flailed her hands, knocking Hisao's food into the distance out the window. She clamped her hand to her mouth, but eventually the two of them laughed at the occurrence. On the other side of the table, Hanako gazed at Mikaru intently as she lifted the finger food to his mouth, he smiling at her kind gesture. Her other hand was wrapped around his arm, and they sat tucked into each other, her body being hidden by the large sweater she wore.<p>

Overall, it was a very pleasant evening, but the evening was done as was the food they ate. Lilly had a smile on her face, and rested her hands in front of her above the table. Hisao was reclined, content to just be able to stretch back, close his eyes and enjoy the moment. Hanako rested her head on Mikaru's arm, stroking his bandages with her right hand. Mikaru himself was gazing out the window, over Hanako's head, at the dark outside. He was happy, but also the most mindful of the hour.

Letting out a sigh, he spoke.

"This was a nice night, guys. Thank you."

Hisao looked over to him, giving a small smile in response. Lilly was smiling too, obviously for him, but a little off in the wrong direction. Hanako blushed, turning her head down to stare at her hands which stilled on his arm.

"... I don't think I've ever had as nice of a meal as this one. So, It's my treat."

Hisao sat up straight, looking over at Lilly. Lilly, on the other hand, fidgeted a little.

"Are you sure, Mikaru? Surely, you could use the money for other things, and you ate the least out of all of us..."

Mikaru made a noise, and stretched his free arm above his head.

"Keh. No, I don't actually have much to spend it on, to be honest. I recently finished all my toy shopping, and I live pretty light otherwise. Besides, this is... this is what friends do. I want to share this with you."

She sat back a little, but gave a nod. At that, the server came over, looking to the four.

"Are... Are you finished now? Ah, _dammit, _that came out all wrong! I mean, uh -"

Mikaru gave a chuckle and stood, stretching.

"Relax, please. We're finished, yes. I will be taking the bill tonight."

The server, a frazzled young woman with brown hair and glasses wearing an apron, jeans, and a striped blue shirt, nodded and walked over to the counter. He turned to Hanako, extending his arm.

"Hanako, may you please help me with this?"

She looked up, a little dumbly, before taking his arm and allowing him to lead her to the register. When they arrived, Mikaru placed his stubs onto the counter, and looked at the server.

"Hanako, my wallet is in my front left pocket. May you please pull it out for me?"

She wordlessly complied, walking over to his side, reaching her hand into his pocket slowly. Feeling leather, she gripped it, pulling it out and placing it on the table in front of him. He used his stubs to flip it open, and then slid his stub across the closest pocket. It opened, revealing several 5000 yen notes. Looking at the register, he saw the price, sliding two out, and placing them onto the table.

"Please give me 1000 back and keep the rest."

The server balked a little, but nodded anyway.

"Thank you... OH! And – Thanks for visiting the Shanghai!"

Mikaru watched the server as she calculated the change and placed the 1000 yen note on the table. He looked over to Hanako.

"Hanako, may you please place the note in the large middle pocket, and then put my wallet back in my pocket?"

She nodded, doing so. When she placed it into her pocket, she jumped back a bit, as if the pocket would jump up and bite her fingers. He chuckled a bit, and turned around, seeing Lilly and Hisao waiting by the door. He extended his stub in the air as a farewell, and walked away.

They stepped outside into the cool nighttime air, and they all took a deep breath, satisfied with the way the night had progressed. They then partnered up, and left. They took about twenty paces when Mikaru stopped in place, his head rapidly spinning to the side. Hanako jumped at his rapid movement, stepping back while staring at him. Hisao turned back to look at his friend. Lilly, however, had her head in the same direction.

A muffled, feminine cry could be heard, and Mikaru bolted in it's direction. Hisao let go of Lilly's arm, breaking into a jog after his sprinting friend. "M – Mikaru, wait! What are you doing?"

Hanako quickly grabbed Lilly's arm, dragging her toward the others, fright on her face.

* * *

><p>"No... Please... Stop..."<p>

The man leered at the woman as he grabbed a fistful of her shirt, tearing it off violently.

"Stop _what,_ exactly? Who gave you permission to speak_..._"

The woman gaped at the man, smacking him violently on the chest, scratching his skin and screamed.

"NO! Please... _Please..._"

The man slapped the woman in the face, and reached for her skirt.

This was all that Mikaru needed to see.

"Hey, _fuck face!_"

The man snapped his head out of the alleyway, observing the hulking boy, and leering.

"... Beat it, kid. _The adults _are _talking._"

The man turned to the boy, pulling out a large butcher knife from his coat. He leered more at the boy, whom merely observed him.

"... _you fucking pig. I'm going to say this one time. Give. Up. Or I will break you._"

The two men didn't notice as the three teenagers found the alleyway. The woman, snapping her head with tear – filled eyes, gazed at them in shock. Nobody spoke for a moment as the two men started circling each other. The man brandished the knife, flourishing it around making it catch the light every so often. Mikaru kept his gaze on the man as he paced, arms at his sides. As they circled, his motions became smoother and smoother, the experience in his bones flushing through his skin. When they reached where the other started, Mikaru stopped, letting his body rest in between the man and the woman. The woman looked up at him, unable to speak as he became her shield.

The man screamed suddenly, and dashed forward at Mikaru. The following fight would be something that the small crowd would never forget.

Mikaru slid into a fluid stance, his arms raised in a peculiar fashion in front of his chest. As the man saw this, he planted his front foot in the ground, rotating his knife hand back, and sending it flying forward at Mikaru's neck. Mikaru's right arm came from below, sweeping the blade around his head, and past the other side of his body. The man had no time to react as the same arm pushed downward, redirecting the knife towards the ground. His arm then bent at the elbow, and his stub launched forward with blinding speed, catching the man square in the chest. Mikaru's body went rigid just before launching forward, moving four feet, completing the strike, sending the assailant flying, and completely straightening his arm without a sound.

The assailant, knocked by the blow, staggered backwards, colliding with a dumpster that was there. The man's feet rose off the ground, his eyes bursting open at the pain he felt. However, the strike to his chest was so fierce that he couldn't breathe, so he settled instead for collapsing to the ground, writhing in pain, the butcher knife forgotten. Mikaru remained still, staring at the wall, waiting in that pose for an indeterminable amount of time before the man's laboured breathing came back, and he started crying. Mikaru's head snapped in his direction, watching him for a moment. Wordlessly, he strode over to the downed man, who's cheek rested on the ground. Without a word, he got down on one knee, bringing his right arm back. It hung there for a moment, all the air in the world running stagnant as the universe held it's breath. Then, his body tensed, and his arm exploded downwards, connecting with the man's jaw. A sickening _crunch _was heard, and the man passed out from the pain.

After a brief pause, Mikaru slid to his feet, his body assuming the neutral position he always did at the end of his _kata_, and he held it. He took a deep breath, and waited. The others just stared at him in shock, Lilly clutching Hanako's arm tightly. After a moment, the boy turned, taking his sweater off, and approaching the shell – shocked woman. He crouched down, until he was face to face with the woman, and he held the sweater.

"... _Miss, do you want me to give you my sweater_?"

His words pulled her out of her stupor, her eyes looking over the boy. She noted his calm, even features, his absolute stillness, and his outstretched arms. Ignoring the piece of fabric in between them, she launched herself at the boy, arms going behind his neck, clutching onto him for dear life. She wept openly, sobbing and retching as the boy brought his arms around her, holding her softly.

Hisao's hand reached into his pocket, pulling out his cellphone. He dialled the number for emergency services, hanging up immediately afterwards. His hand put the phone back into the pocket. No one spoke. It felt wrong to witness this; this moment was far too personal for anyone involved, but they watched anyway.

Five minutes later, the sound of screeching tires sounded from behind the group and they parted, stepping into the alleyway. A pair of stretchers worked their way past them and went to opposite sides of the alleyway, one waiting at the opening. When the second stretcher stopped, Mikaru released his arms, reaching down and placing it over the woman's shoulders. She shuddered at the loss of warmth, but dumbly grabbed the edges of the zipper, pulling it closed around her. Two paramedics came around the pair's flanks, one coaxing the woman onto her feet. The other crouched down in front of Mikaru, pulling out a flashlight. He turned it on, pulsing it before his eyes. He shook his head, and turned to meet the gaze of the paramedic.

"- ir, are you all right? Can you see this?"

Mikaru nodded silently, standing up. The paramedic followed him, and put a hand on his back. He walked him towards the opening of the alleyway. Mikaru slowly turned his head, looking at his friends. Lilly was crying into Hanako's shoulder. Hisao was watching the woman on the stretcher, a little dazed. Hanako's eyes clung to him, her hands clenching and unclenching. After a moment, when Mikaru felt a tear go down his eye, Hanako forced herself off of the wall dashing around the paramedic. She grabbed onto his naked arm, burying her face into him. Hisao saw this, and grabbed Lilly's hand, who promptly turned into him and cried more. Hisao watched them, giving an almost imperceptible nod at Mikaru, and Mikaru turned away, looking into the streetlight he was approaching.

* * *

><p>The next day, Hisao, Hanako and Lilly waited in the distance as Mikaru spoke with the police officer. Lilly's head was turned, so she could hear what was being said better.<p>

"... you've done a good thing, kid. You should be proud... but, seeing your circumstances, I understand your desire for anonymity. May I say one thing, though?"

"... Yes, officer."

"Sometimes, it's good for the... victims... to meet with their saviours. It helps them to cope with what's happened, giving them a sense of finality. What I'm saying is, I think it would be good of you to see her at least once before she leaves, so that she can put this behind her and move on. I know that it may be tough for you, but..."

A pause.

... A sigh.

"... I think... I think that would... that would be for the best, sir. Will you send her to me?"

"Right away. Thank you again, for your contribution to our community."

The officer turned on his heel, striding back into the building.

Hisao looked over at Hanako, who was staring at Mikaru intently. He frowned, and spoke.

"What's bothering you, Hanako?"

She didn't acknowledge him.

Two minutes later, the woman, holding onto a man that was slightly taller than her, walked through the doors of the hospital. Scanning, they found Mikaru, and approached him quickly. They spoke softly, so only Lilly could hear the conversation.

She smiled at what she heard, though.

The man approached first. "Are you the man that saved my fiance?"

Mikaru nodded, and the two men shook.

"Yes, sir. My name's Kanasu Mikaru. I'm Eighteen."

The man looked down, a little shocked at his lack of hands.

"You... you have no hands. You're from _Yamaku_?"

Mikaru nodded again.

"Yes, I transferred recently. I was out for dinner when I heard the commotion, and I ran to her."

The man looked down for a second, before looking up and grabbing the boy's shoulders lightly.

"Thank you. _Thank you so much. _I don't... You are a blessing. _Bless you._"

The man turned to his fiance, taking a couple of steps back. The woman looked up at the boy, examining him closely. She reached a hand out to his face, feeling the stubble.

"_You... you're real."_

Mikaru stiffened at her words, listening.

"_When... when I saw you, I thought... I thought that you were an angel, and I was... and I was dying."_

Lilly felt a tear roll down her face, unbidden by the others. She continued to listen.

"... _I... when he... when he attacked you, I thought you were dead, too. But, you're real. And you're OK. And... and I'm OK. Why...?_"

Mikaru's eyes clouded over for a moment, and the woman brought her other hand to his face. He pulled into reality again, and he spoke softly.

"... Just... just once, I... I wanted it... to... stop. I wanted her to be OK, and... and for me to know. I didn't... I didn't see that, last time. I never..."

He zoned out again, and the woman felt tears come to her eyes at the boy's confession. She reached her arms around him, holding him like a mother held a lost child.

"... I can't tell you that she made it... but you're the greatest person she's ever met. No matter what happened, she's always thinking of you. And when she does, she's happy."

The woman released her embrace, holding his arms and looking into his eyes. His mouth was open, and he looked at her with nothing short of awe on his face.

"Th – thank you..."

She looked at him for another moment before sliding her hands down to his stubs, giving them a squeeze, and passing him, walking towards her fiance. Wordlessly, they left, getting into his car and driving off.

* * *

><p>End of Chapter Fourteen: Behind These Bars, Date Night, and Something More!<p>

Next Time! Chapter Fifteen: Behind These Bars, House Calls; Down my Sorrows!


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen: Behind These Bars, House Calls; Down my Sorrows!**

* * *

><p>... Before anyone asks, yes, I am, in fact, a cup. No one notices me, sitting in the corner of the room, but I'm there. Sitting on the nightstand, minding my own business.<p>

... Ok, I lied.

_I'm not really minding my own business._

This is just _too _interesting to ignore, though! So interesting, in fact, that I'm _almost _not mad about being forgotten. I don't even know what happened, really. One day, I was minding my own business in my cupboard with my brothers and sisters, when I got called in for overtime. It was a little more sudden than I'd liked, as I'd only recently gotten out of the washer, but it's my job! I love it!

... Unfortunately, seeing that my charge was a _boy_, with _no hands_, wasn't something I relished. Of course, that was before he decided that the cafeteria just wasn't the place for us, and took me outside for the first time. I admit, I was a little scared at first, having yet to go outside like some of the others, but I did my duty with honour and bravery. We walked around for a minute, and I almost thought he was stealing me, but then we entered the yellow building, and I calmed down. Apparently, according to Uncle Mug, it was ok if you were in the yellow or pink building. Pink was better, of course, but at least yellow was _safer._

So, with that in mind, I tried _extra hard _to be steady, and it seemed to work. Usually, no one notices it when I try hard, but at some point, the boy stopped, looking at me.

"... This is a good cup."

I almost started quaking from happiness, but decided instead that I was _not _going to let this guy down. So, we took the elevator like champs, and walked to the end of the hall. He turned around briefly, shouting down the hall, and another boy walked up from in front of us.

"... You have a cup. From the cafeteria."

"Yeeessss... Come on, Hisao, my arms are getting tired. _Open the door!_"

"Pfft. Whatever, man."

I'd never gotten this much attention before. It was a little scary, and it made me really nervous, but _I'm a cup_, goddammit, and I have a duty to uphold!

So, I looked around as we walked into the boy's room, and he set me down on a small table in the middle of the room. Then, after turning on a movie, He sat back, relaxing, and I did too.

... That was a half a week ago.

Since then, Mikaru and I have been thick as thieves, him letting me hold down the fort, while he goes out and does... whatever he does. Not too sure, really. All I know is, that he drinks _a lot _of tap water. Can't really complain, and he even rinses me from time to time, so I think he's taking good care of me.

But now, he hasn't come back. He said something about a date, and then, there was nothing. I look over at my friend, the clock, and he tells me that it's now 3:00 in the morning, and I _know _that there's a problem.

... Clocks can't speak! They're just dumb, inanimate objects! Nutcase...

Anyway, I decide I should just wait it out. Maybe he'll be back in a couple of hours. Hell, maybe he got lucky!

I'm so _dumb_! _That's_ what happened! My friend got _lucky_ after his _super hot date _and went back to _her place_!

... I wonder if _she _has a cup, too. I bet her cup is really nice. She'd be... quiet, a little reserved, but lines in _all _the right places, and a strong figure, capable of holding _just _a little less than me. Yeah, _that _would be her cup...

* * *

><p>The door opens, snapping me from my trance. He's Back! I can't wait to drink water with him again! It's been -<p>

_... Something's wrong. _

The boy shuffles in, letting the door slam behind him. He stops, looking... dead inside. It makes me want to shiver. He doesn't even look at me as he walks over to his bed, and flops down. He lays there, staring at his stub. Then, he falls asleep, leaving me alone again.

*knockknockknockknockknockknockknockknockknock* "Mikaru? It's Hisao. Can I come in?"

Mikaru looks over from his place on the couch. I see him turn back to his position from before, where he was sitting silently looking at the floor. After a minute, the door opens, and Hisao walks in, taking a seat on the couch beside him.

"Hey."

"... Hey, Hisao."

They're quiet. They don't look at each other. They don't talk to each other. However, the silence in the room is a lot easier than the silence that was before. After about twenty minutes, Mikaru points over to his mini – fridge.

"... There's something new in the bottom there. I have a cup on the nightstand, and there's another in my dresser."

Hisao gets up, walking over to the mini - fridge and pulled out... a bottle of scotch. Wow. Silently, Hisao then turns to me, examining the bottle of imported booze as he walks over, pulling out another cup and filling both a quarter full. He then sets the cups on the table, on top of a couple of coasters, and locks the door.

Hisao sits then, picking up a cup in his hand. He swirls it around a little, then takes a sip. He audibly swishes it around a little, before gulping and setting the cup down.

"... It's warm. Little sweet. Never thought peat moss would taste so good."

Mikaru lets out something of a chuckle, and drinks his own.

"My father... My father used to drink it. Same brand, too. It killed him, but I can't help but take his example a bit."

Hisao looked over at his friend, taking another sip before talking slowly.

"... Mikaru, the others... the others are worried about you. I know that you need some time to centre yourself, but... don't turn them away. Even Hanako. _Especially Hanako. _Ok?"

Mikaru looked over at his friend, downing the rest of his drink before setting me down roughly, twitching his head and speaking.

"... Ok."

Hisao nodded, throwing his head back, downing his drink, and taking the cups.

"I'll rinse these. You're done for the day."

Mikaru grunted, sitting back.

"... _wait._ Mikaru, you know JSL, don't you?"

Mikaru looked over at his friend, before he let a small smirk past his lips, and speaking.

"... Maybe. I _may or may not _be in the process of working on a digital sign – to – speak communication system. This _may or may not _involve a certain company secret, and I _may or may not _have to _murder you_ if word ever gets out. Ne?"

Hisao grinned before closing the door behind him.

An hour passed, and Mikaru didn't move. After Hisao had left the second time, Mikaru had shut down, returning to his former position, staring at the floor. After a little while, he turned his head towards the door, and waited.

*knockknockknock* "... Mikaru? It's Lilly. May I please come in for a bit?"

Mikaru stood up, opening the door with his stub, extending the other one to her hand. She wrapped her fingers around it, letting him lead her into the middle of the room. He turned her so she was standing in front of the couch, then raised his stubs to her shoulders, gently pushing her to sit down. She complied, shifting a little before getting comfy, and turning her body as Mikaru sat down himself.

They sat there briefly, Lilly inclined towards the pensive boy, before she spoke.

"... I heard your conversation."

It was a statement. Vague though it was, Mikaru knew what she was talking about.

"... I know."

Lilly slowly reached her hand out, resting it on his thigh.

"Part of me wishes I hadn't... but it... it makes this easier for me, as selfish as that sounds."

Mikaru turned his head toward her, shifting. She noticed the action and turned a little more towards him.

"... While I believed that you were an innocent man, I'm ashamed to say that I didn't think you were safe to be around. I thought that, even though you had forgiven me, that your experience left you too far gone. That even though the boy was innocent, the man in his place was dangerous and... I was wrong."

Mikaru put his stub onto her hand, holding it.

"... I thought that the little boy was gone. That your soul was gone. But, he's not really gone, is he?"

Mikaru's jaw opened. I looked on in awe of the blind girl, who managed to see more than anyone else.

"Lilly, I -"

"- The man before me. He's just the guardian of your little boy, isn't he? He's the face you show to others; the face they expect to see, the face they can fear, but... Hanako isn't friends with him. _Hanako _knows the little boy."

Mikaru could barely speak.

"_... Y _– _yes..._"

Lilly paused, reaching her other hand out to grab his stub.

"Hanako is afraid for you, Mikaru. She's scared that the little boy... her friend... is _gone._ She doesn't _see_ as easily as _I _do. You need to _show_ her. Show her that her friend is still there."

"... How can I face her, though? She wasn't supposed to see that. She's seen too much. _Nobody _was supposed to see that..."

Lilly leaned up to him, lightly kissing him on the cheek. She spoke into his ear softly, her hands still clasping his stub and leg.

"... she's seen it, and she knows that you're scared of it too, Mikaru. She doesn't care that you did what you did. All she wants is to know that her friend is there for her still."

Mikaru looked over at the kind girl in awe. Truly, being shown by a blind girl how to look at yourself was something of a shock for him, but he just dumbly nodded. She parted herself from him, standing up. She grabbed her cane, moving it around her before turning towards the door and walking away.

"... The world wants you back soon, Mikaru. Please don't keep us waiting long."

She said that as she left, the last word sounding through the closed door.

* * *

><p>Twenty minutes after Lilly left, Mikaru was feeling better. He was stretching, getting ready to face Hanako again.<p>

"... Come on, Mikaru. _You got this. You. Got. This... _Aww, Man up already!"

He threw his arms into the air, pacing frantically. He stopped mid stride on his ninth turn, taking a breath and turning to the door. He walked over to it, putting his hand on the flat knob. He turned it, and opened. He was about to walk through when he noticed a small, legless body standing before him. She stood there, motionless for a second, before she pounced him, her arms coming around his neck.

"MIKARU! I WAS SO WORRIED! WHERE WERE YOU?"

Mikaru stumbled back at the force of her glomp, falling back onto his bed after tripping on his couch.

"Owww..."

She froze, her eyes snapping open, seeing their position. She got up, straddling his waist.

"Oh! I'm Sorry! I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm So -"

He raised a stub, placing it on her chin like he would if he had fingers to shush her with.

He sat up, and she fell backwards, bouncing a bit on the bed before coming to a stop on the corner, her knees bent to the sides and pressed against the bed, tucked together.

"... Hey, Emi. Sorry for worrying you. Me and the others went out last night, but got... held up."

She paused, her hand coming to her chin. She looked up then, even more worried.

"Y – you were the boy that saved that woman!"

Mikaru froze, his arm still extended towards her. _Shit, dude! _

He looked away, at the bedding that he called his own, as he distinctly remembered at that moment that it was due for washing. Somehow, Emi had noticed yet, or simply chose not to care. Of course, none of those things seemed to comfort him when there was a girl resting on them.

"W – Why would you do something so _stupid? You could have gotten really hurt!_"

She pounced him again, holding him around the neck and burying her face in his chest. Mikaru looked uncomfortable, but rose his arms behind her back, hugging her nonetheless.

"... I... I had to. She was in trouble."

"I don't care! _You _were in trouble!"

She pushed back again, holding onto his shoulders, staring at him fiercely with puffy red eyes.

"Promise me!"

"- _Huh_?"

"- _Promise me that you're not going to get yourself involved like that again._"

Mikaru looked down at his distressed friend, frowning. He seemed to be deeply in thought, and I, _being a cup_, couldn't read minds. However, I think it would have went something like this:

_... This girl... She's... Crying for me? _

_This isn't right... I... I'm A Man! Real Men Don't Make Their Woman Cry! I have to stop her tears, and embrace my manhood! I have to comfort her with my -_

"... No."

She froze, looking at him. I was flabbergasted at him, unable to believe the words that came from his lips.

"... _Emi, No. _You don't know what it was like, spending five years in prison for a crime I didn't commit. That I was a victim of, just as much as... _as she was. You can't ask me to do that._"

He sat up, holding her shoulders now.

"Emi, do you know what it's like, living every single day as a reminder of the worst moment of your life? Do you know what it's like to see those eyes staring back at you, every single night, robbing you of sleep? _Do you know what it's like not knowing if my sacrifice was even worth anything?! Maybe you do..._"

She balked at him, sitting back. She was crying fully now, but barely made a sound as she listened. Her hand was clamped over her mouth.

"... Emi, You're my friend. I care for you, and I know you care for me. But you can't ask me _not_ to do something."

He took off his sweater slowly, and she cast her eyes over the scars on his chest.

"... 147. Don't bother. I've done it too many times for any of us."

He took off the bandages on his arms with his teeth, and extended them to her. She reached her free hand out, holding the bruised, beaten flesh.

"... It's horrifying, isn't it? I live with this, and I do this to myself. _Every night, _that woman stares at me. Her tears ever – falling, my blood splashing her face. And every morning, I wake up, my own tears falling, denying me rest. I put on a mask of happiness and walk outside, pretending like I'm not _scared shitless _that it's going to happen again. And, every evening, before I lay myself down, I beat myself, fighting, lifting, struggling and bleeding, until I almost break from exhaustion. I stumble back here, and I think to myself that, '... this time_. This time _will be different. I'm finally strong enough to save her.', and I fall asleep."

He stands up, putting his sweater back on. He walks towards the door, leaving her in his room.

"... _it's never enough._"

Mikaru paused at the door, collecting his thoughts. He didn't _want _to say that, and he certainly didn't want to make her cry, but he knew that anything less wouldn't have been enough. He took a deep breath, nodding to himself, before striding confidently out towards the elevator. Kenji came out of his room then, smirking.

"Oh, Sup dude? How's the fight with the -"

Mikaru passed him, completely ignoring the bespectacled bipolar and turned towards the stairs. He opened the door, hopping over the railings, making excellent time. Soon enough, he reached the bottom, breaking out into a jog. When he made it outside the dormitory, he broke into a run. He ran down the concrete path, winding through the gardens before looking up, seeing the familiar sight of the school. He launched into a sprint then, tearing the front door open and making for the stairs, ignoring everything else he saw. He made it up the first flight, and ran through to the next one. He was practically flying now, going as fast as his feet could take him. He jumped, three by three by three, up the staircase before reaching the top floor, turning on the spot and dashing through the hall. He turned right, then left, heading up the final stairwell that would lead him to his destination. As he reached the final stretch of stairs however, he stopped in place. His breath was coming deep and rapidly, leaving him winded. He slowly reached his arms out, touching the metal handle that waited for him. It was freezing to the touch.

He hadn't noticed it, but tonight was a _very _cold night, and he knew that whatever waiting for him on the other side would be depressing at best and heartbreaking at worst. It was the kind of night that you didn't write home about, because nothing good ever came of them. Steeling himself, he turned the rounded doorknob and stepped through the port, his feet softly coming down on the gravel. His breath was visible in the air, and he shivered in spite of his warmth. He turned then, hearing the door close on it's own as walked slowly past the stairwell, turning left to face the centre of the construct.

Before him, Hanako was huddled into herself, shuddering from tears and cold, as she held herself on the ground. Cradled to her chest was his sweater that he had given her, and her breath was ragged and sporadic. He slowly walked up to her, making his presence known.

"Hello, Hanako."

She looked up at him, still clutching the sweater to her chest, tear tracks running over her cheeks. Her eyes, like her body, held no warmth, and she stared at him.

"... Hanako, do you want me to stay?"

Her face screwed up at that, and she launched herself into the air, wrapping her arms around his waist. The sweater was forgotten on the ground, and he wrapped his beaten arms around the girl, holding her close as she cried.

"_I thought – I thought – I was so scared!"_

He slid his arm down to her knee, picking her up and sitting with his back against the cold concrete. She moved her arms around his neck clutching him while she sat side – saddle on his lap, and he used his stubs to get the sweater onto her back. He tried to get it to rest on her shoulders, but she just clung her arms around him tighter, burying her face into his chest.

"...Hanako... How long have you been out here?"

She shook her head, pressing her head tighter into his chest. He put his stub under her chin, coaxing her head to raise and their eyes to meet.

Now that he got a better look at her, _she looked awful._ Her cheeks had a startling contrast of deep red blotches and pale, bluish white. Her lips, usually a healthy reddish pink, were closer to purple than the rest of her was. Her body was wracked with shivers, and her jaw was trembling. He raised a stump to her face, feeling her skin. It was icy cold to the touch, and he would have pulled it away if he didn't notice something first.

Staring at her like this, raising his should – have – been hand to her face, he noticed how similar they were. He looked back and forth between the skin on her face and the bruising and scabbing lacerations on his arm, and it made him frown. He used his stump to slide her hair behind her ear, and then he pulled her head slowly into his chest.

"... Hanako... As long as you want me to, I will always be here for you. I'm not going away. I'm here. We're friends, right?"

She pushed her head away and looked at him.

"F – F – Friends..."

She smile softly at him, and gave a nod. She slid her arms off of his neck, and he hung the sweater onto her shoulders. She put her arms through, still looking at him. Then, she looked at her lap, zipping the sweater up, and looked back at him. Slowly, very slowly, she reached her right hand up, bringing it to his face.

"Please... _please promise me... that... that you won't go away again._"

_That _was something he could do.

"... I promise. It's me, Hanako. I'm not going away again."

* * *

><p>End of Chapter Fifteen: Behind These Bars, House Calls; Down my Sorrows!<p>

Next Time! Chapter Sixteen: Behind These Bars, Sick Day at Yamaku Academy!


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen! Behind These Bars, Sick Day at Yamaku Academy!**

* * *

><p>Mikaru woke up slowly, feeling his head pulse and his body shake as the sound of the alarm clock assaulted his senses. He opened his eyes, closing them immediately. He <em>Hated<em> Fridays.

Friday was the day that you wished was a part of the weekend so you could do nothing, but completely isn't, so you just have to suffer through it.

Apparently, drinking two - thirds of the scotch last night, though... _That didn't help._

"Oooooohhhh... _Shit..._"

He rolled over, opening his eyes and looking at the alarm clock.

10:16

Oh, ok...

_... 10:16_

_... Ah. AHHH!_

Mikaru was about to shoot up, but stopped when he felt something holding him down. He looked.

It was an arm. With a hand. A _girl's _arm, and a _girl's_ hand.

He froze, slowly turning over to see just _who _was sharing his bed with him this morning.

Emi was laying with her head on his shoulder, underneath his covers. He was shirtless.

_I better be wearing pants..._

"... Emi."

He put his free stub onto her shoulder, shaking her a little.

"Emi..."

She groaned, a hand covering her eyes.

"Wha – what is it? Let me sleep, pillow. Stop squirming so much..."

She looked even worse than he felt. He couldn't see if she was wearing clothes. _He couldn't see if she was wearing clothes._

"Emi, wake up. It's Mikaru."

She was squirming until he said that, her eyes coming open reluctantly.

"Emi, do I have pants on?"

She, without thinking, reached her hand below the covers, stroking his leg. She clutched her fingers around fabric.

"I... I think so... um... did... did we..."

He got up, taking her with him. The blanket fell, her shirt ruffled and a button or two undone, but otherwise undisturbed.

"Emi... You need to get up. Can you walk?"

She rolled over him, sliding her prostheses onto the carpet. She squirmed a little, pushing herself unsteadily to stand. She shifted from hip to hip, then slowly sat back down.

"I... I don't _think _I'm sore. That is, I don't think we..."

Mikaru couldn't help the relieved sigh as he plopped back down into the comfort of his bed.

"Oh, thank _god..._"

She turned on him, tired and irritable.

"... _Excuse me? Do I really disgust you that much?_"

His eyes snapped open, and he wished for nothing more than to bury his face in his hands. _Of course she would jump to that conclusion. Why can't Friday be Saturday instead?_

"... No. We were drunk, and I thought... I thought that..."

She sighed, too tired to be angry. She laid back down, not bothering to replace the covers.

"... You're probably right, Mikaru. It wouldn't have been a good thing."

He ignored her sad tone, taking the words for what they were, and rolled over to face her.

"... It's 10:20. We're late for class."

She looked over at him, staring plainly for a moment.

"... No. We're hung over, I really need to talk to you, and we've already missed a class anyway."

Mikaru rolled over, putting his arms behind his head against the pillow.

"Ok, you win. Let's talk, then. What's on your mind?"

"... _You_. I..."

She laid back beside him, bringing her arms to her chest as she gathered her thoughts and spoke.

"I... I don't get you, Mikaru. One moment you're cocky, brash and arrogant, and the next you're... you're quiet, sweet, and... I don't know."

She rolled over, her back to him as she spoke.

"... You just... you're really good at making me concerned, and... and it scares me."

She rolled back, putting her arms above her head and continuing.

"... What you said last night, it really got me thinking. But, you were right, in a way. It isn't healthy, but you were right."

Mikaru looked over at her now, and she brought her arms back to her chest, and turned to face him in the bed.

"It wasn't fair of me to ask you to promise that. I mean, I didn't realize it at the time, but I wasn't asking you to just stop doing something. I was asking you to change who you are. I guess we're alike that way. It's... it's hard for me to say, but..."

He propped his head up on his stub, paying close attention to what she had to say. She looked at him for a second before she rolled onto her back, laying her arm on her forehead.

"I don't think we have that much emotional strength, you and I. So, we make up for it with physical strength. In our minds, as long as we can beat what happened to us in the past, we'll never have to experience the pain in the present or future."

Emi rolled over, looking at him.

"Do you... do you agree?"

Mikaru nodded silently.

"It's just... no matter how fast I run, or how hard you fight, it doesn't change the fact that we're still... that we're still hurt inside. I can't get away from my accident. And you can't fight through your problems, either."

"_- Then why do you run?_"

Emi waited, watching the boy's face.

"... Why do you run, if you can't escape what's chasing you?"

She shifted a little closer to the boy, whom pulled his arms out from the covers and wrapped them around her. They snuggled together, looking at the ceiling.

"Because... because... I think, because I haven't found where I need to run to yet. I still haven't found that one thing, that... that makes it all ok."

Mikaru pondered the small girl's words, before speaking his mind.

"... As long as you haven't found what you're running to, then I can't stop fighting."

He looked down to the girl, who rose her face to meet him.

"I fight... I think... because, while I do have my own problems... they don't go away, no matter how hard I fight. So, instead of fighting to remove my own problems, I fight to remove everyone else's. It's the cost of the strength I have."

She looked down at his chest, and he continued.

"... Each of my scars is a failure. Every single one. However, I still _fought _for them._ I_ caused them to be there, no matter who held the knife that placed them. After I recovered, and was incarcerated, I pondered why I had chosen to fight for them. There weren't as many then, though."

She looked at him with a start, and he pushed away, sitting up.

"Life in prison wasn't easy. People think that being the biggest guy around means that you get to live it easy, but that couldn't be more false. When you're the biggest... It's like how we met. I wasn't a person, with feelings or thoughts; ambitions, regrets; I was a mountain. A mountain that had yet to be conquered."

Emi looked down at the marks on his torso, examining the differences between them. She reached a hand out, feeling one of the long ones. He took his stub and moved her hand lower.

"42 of my scars are newer than the others. They took a while to get there. It's the smaller ones; those are the pens. The slightly larger ones are the shivs."

She felt them all, stroking them with awe and sadness on her face.

"... Life was hard. I made few friends. Some of the people there, though, saw me for what and who I was. Like Hisao, actually. There was one in particular."

She looked up at him, her hand coming to rest over his heart as he spoke.

"His name was... his name was... Well, I called him Dan. He didn't so much like that, but... he got me talking. He was the first. He... he taught me how to fight; how to be a man. And I... I taught... I taught him... "

She looked up at the boy's troubled features, seeing his eyes go cloudy for a moment. He shook his head.

"... It doesn't matter. He... he died in a riot two years ago. A riot that I chose not to participate in, because I couldn't afford another rap. Now though, he's just another dead kid, sleeping the endless sleep in a dirt mound on a mountain."

"... What did they riot about? Did they succeed?"

The boy looked down at her, and off to a corner.

"It was... it was about a..._ a football. _He _died_ for _a football_ he _never used_, surrounded by people _he didn't like_. He was my only friend... and _I_ was _his_. I _let_ him die. I never understood why he fought, though."

The girl wrapped her arms around him, placing a tender kiss on the bottom of his jaw.

"Your friend sounded brave. I think... I think I know why he died."

Mikaru looked down at the girl.

"... it was never about the ball, not really. I think... I think that the other boys were more like us than you think. I mean, maybe they were just as angry and confused as you were, when they did their crimes."

Mikaru balked down at his friend, who wrapped her arms around him and leaned her ear against his chest, listening to his heart beat as she spoke.

"I think that, to them, the football was something... normal. _Grounding._ To lose that, would... would be like losing that last link to your innocence; the innocence of your youth. It makes sense that you didn't fight for it, though."

– _Thunk... Dun – Thunk... Dun – Thunk... Dun – Thunk..._

"In the end, the football wasn't your youth, because... _because your youth was already gone_. I don't know what it was that you _connected_ with youth, but... _It doesn't really matter_, does it? In the end... I think, even though your friend didn't connect _his_ youth with the ball like the others, he... _he understood_ what that ball _meant_ to _them_."

_Dun -Thunk, Dun – Thunk, Dun – Thunk, Dun – Thunk – _

"In my mind, that makes his sacrifice worthwhile. To die... defending innocence. That's... that's honourable, Mikaru. _A worthy death_. I think... I think that was his _final lesson_ to _you_. To keep fighting for innocence, _no matter what_."

_DunThunkDunThunkDunThunkDunThunkDun – _

"_... You have a good heart, Mikaru. Share it with someone."_

_Thunk..._

"E – Emi?"

She looked up at him, completely calm, holding his shoulders in her hands. His arms came around cautiously, resting on her hips. Slowly, softly, their faces inched closer and closer together. His eyes were wide at the girl, almost all thought devoid from his mind. They continued to move, slowly meeting each other in the middle.

... And, then...

- A kiss, softer than the gentlest breeze, more tender than the finest meat money could buy, and sweeter than the sweetest chocolate. It was slow, and the two teenagers sharing it relished in the feelings it gave them. The boy, shy and afraid, washed in the peace it fed to his torrential heart. The girl, scared and alone, absorbed the warmth and companionship it promised.

Too soon, the kiss ended, and the two athletes opened their eyes, staring at each other. After a while of being content with the gaze, the girl brought her eyes down, placing her ear against the boy's chest again.

_- Thunk... Dun – Thunk... Dun – Thunk..._

_"It's... things are different now, aren't they?"_

Emi looked up at the boy who cradled her, searching for his eyes. She thought for a moment before speaking, changing everything.

"I... _I think so._"

The two teenagers laid on the bed, enjoying the quiet of the moment they were sharing. This moment seemed like it could last forever.

... Two hours would have to do, though.

* * *

><p>*Fa – La – La... La – la – la – la – la, Fa – La – La... La – la – la – la -*<p>

Mikaru tensed up when he heard the ring tone, startling Emi. She reached onto the nightstand, sitting up before flicking her phone open.

"... Ibarazaki."

"_... Emi? Have you seen Mikaru anywhere? I haven't seen him all day, and he didn't come back in after he stormed out yesterday."_

Emi looked over at him, panicking a little.

"I think... I think he..."

Mikaru mouthed the word 'Truth' To her. Emi's face went down, her eyes closing before she opened her eyes again and spoke.

"... Mikaru was late. I stayed behind to make sure he got back ok."

Hisao seemed to let out a sigh of relief on the other end, before he spoke again.

"_Oh, good. I thought he went off into the woods again. He was on a WARPATH."_

Emi flinched at the mention of the word 'Woods', but regained her composure quickly before speaking again.

"... No, I don't think he did. He looked fine, if not a little cold."

Hisao paused a minute, seeming to consider his words, and spoke again.

"_Alright, well that's just one less thing to worry about. Are you with him now? Where are you guys?"_

Emi held her hand over the receiver, freezing, before snapping to Mikaru and whispering frantically.

"Mikaru, what should I say? What are we going to tell him?"

"Hisao needs to know, but not right now. Tell him the truth about last night, and when we woke up."

She nodded, pausing a bit longer, before speaking a little timidly.

"We're... we're back at his place. We dipped into his_ stash _and passed out. I woke up in his bed this morning. We haven't left. Too hung over."

Hisao considered this, the line going dead for a while.

"_... Oh. Well... are... are you two still hung over? I could... bring you some food, or something. I... his door was unlocked, and I didn't have the key, so I have his wallet with me right now."_

Emi looked over at Mikaru, who actually looked a little relieved at the information. He nodded, and Emi spoke.

"- Mikaru is glad for what you did, and says that he absolutely wants food. I think..."

She looked over at the boy, who crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow, smirking at her.

"... _I think that it's his treat, so bring lots._"

He chuckled at her childish antics, his arms stubbornly holding themselves up in the position despite not having hands to anchor with. He heard laughter on the other end of the phone, and then Hisao spoke.

"_Heh. Of course it is. Okay, I'll be around in a little bit. Should... uh, shit..."_

Hisao paused, and Emi looked at Mikaru frowning. Mikaru frowned a little as well.

"_Should I... Is this something that needs to be discussed yet?"_

Mikaru smiled at his friend's words, raising his eyebrows at the girl.

_The ball's in your court, Emi._

"... well, no. If... if they ask, tell them... that I came over this morning... after my run, which you _definitely _went with me on, and took... took care of him."

Hisao chuckled on the other end, and he spoke.

"_... Heh, ok. Gotcha. Put him on for a sec before I go?"_

Emi held the phone to Mikaru's ear, and he spoke.

"Hisao?"

His voice was _much _worse than Emi's, having a cold as well as an apparent hangover. Or maybe he wasn't hung over at all, on second thought.

"_Mikaru! Holy shit. You are SICK. You, uh... You got this?"_

Mikaru let out a deathly chuckle, before speaking to his friend.

"... Yeah, _I got this. _What I _don't _have, is_ Ibuprofen_. Can you fix that too?"

Hisao sighed, and spoke.

"_... You're hopeless. Yes, I Will Bring You Ibuprofen. Do me a favour? Actually TRY to get some sleep over there, ya big lug. Ok?"_

Mikaru chuckled again, launching into a fit of coughs before speaking again.

"... I was going to say something smart to that. Oh, well. _Yes, Nurse. _Shut up. Bye."

Emi slapped his shoulder playfully at the comment, but couldn't help herself when she started to grin.

He flipped the phone closed, his day catching up to him making him lie back.

"_Oh, fuuuuck... "_

She lied down beside him, snuggling close, before speaking.

"_You_ need to rest. _I_, on the other hand, am just hung over. I will wait for Hisao. _Sleep_, handsome."

He smiled at her, before obediently rolling over, staring at the wall before closing his eyes.

"_... you really are pretty, you know."_

She blushed at his words, stroking his arm affectionately before taking off her prosthetic legs and lying back down beside him.

* * *

><p>Hisao knocked on the door, nine raps as per usual, and opened it. Stepping in, he saw Emi, looking ruffled, rubbing her eye, and Mikaru, turning over and looking like he missed his hands more than a little – league player missed his kick. All in all, it was a funny, if not not cute and vaguely pathetic, sight.<p>

"I come bearing foods and tonics, oh _Mighty Magistrates of Margarita – ville._"

Mikaru somehow managed to throw Emi's pillow at Hisao, smacking him in the back of the head as he turned to lock the door behind him.

"Oh, I hope you don't mind, but seeing as I did all this out of the kindness of my heart, _I'm getting in on it._"

Mikaru chuckled a bit, going into a coughing fit again, and Emi giggled a bit at the whole thing.

"... I could eat all of that, packaging and bags included, _but no, I don't mind sharing_."

Emi slid over, reaching for her legs, but Mikaru put an arm on her shoulder to stop her. Sliding off the bed, he stretched before turning around and picking the small girl up in his arms. She giggled, and Hisao chuckled at his very manly display of chivalry.

Walking over to the couch, he set her down on the opposite side of Hisao and sat in between them. He reached forward before seeing his lack of hands, sitting back in a huff.

"God Dammit..."

Emi chuckled, leaning forward before almost falling off the couch, wobbling a bit before she grabbed Mikaru's now – outstretched arm, pulling herself back into place. She imitated Mikaru, sitting back in her own huff before the three started laughing at the hilarity of it all. It was with that, that Hisao divvied out the food, drinks, and popped four Ibuprofen into Mikaru's mouth. He rose the sports drink to his lips, allowing him to suck a bit out, before pulling it back for him to swallow. Emi looked over at the two, concerned.

"Hisao, you're only supposed to take _two_ Ibuprofen! Are you trying to _kill _him?!"

Mikaru laughed, automatically feeling the effects of the medicine.

"Emi, don't be silly. I went over this with Hisao before; I'm almost three times the size of the average human male. My metabolism is beastly. My doctor recommended that I raise my dosage of medications accordingly, because of the fact that my body produces and holds more blood than most people. And that's neither here nor there, because I live too healthy to die of something stupid like liver failure."

"- Says the sick man who just drunk half a bottle of scotch last night..."

Hisao and Mikaru chuckled at the girls words, sitting back and relaxing a little. Just then, Mikaru felt Emi shift against him, raising a fork of beef yakisoba to his lips.

"_This isn't what I would pick for you, but you need it today. _Open up!_"_

Mikaru chuckled, sitting up a little and letting the girl feed her. As they ate, Hisao noted with a little bit of happiness how happy his friends looked, and wondered if there was something going on. They seemed to act like entirely different people than they used to when they were together. However, Hisao knew that, with Mikaru, there was a time and a place for everything, so he let it go from his thoughts.

After they finished, Hisao looked at his watch, noticing the time and getting up.

"Oh! Look at the time. Hey, I gotta get back to it now; I'm going to 3 – 2 to help Lilly's class as a favour to her. You guys going to be ok?"

Mikaru and Emi looked at each other. Mikaru looked back and nodded, speaking up.

"I think we'll be ok. You're helping Lilly? Is there something special going on keeping her from her obligations?"

Hisao paused, looking at his friend closely. Although he didn't want to ruin anything between the two (if anything was, indeed, going on) he also knew that honesty was very important to Mikaru. Even though Emi seemed to be hiding something, he knew it was probably because it was too new or strange to really label yet, so he spoke.

"Well, yeah, actually. Lilly was supposed to help with the festival but she had to stay back in the dorm to take care of Hanako. Hanako got a cold as well, you see."

Emi stiffened, looking over at Mikaru with questioning eyes. Mikaru looked at the ground a bit, before looking up at his friend Hisao and speaking.

"Did she? That's too bad. If you see them, can you let them know that I wish her a swift recovery? I'd do it, but I'm sick myself, and have other obligations to attend to today."

Hisao nodded wordlessly, turning around to leave. As he walked out the door, he noted with a bit of concern, jealousy and mirth to himself that his friend _really _had a way of being eloquent and tactful. As the door closed behind him, he decided that he would omit the part about _what exactly _those obligations were.

Mikaru would _find _obligations, if only to be honest.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, back in the room, Emi was looking at Mikaru, with no small amount of displeasure on her face. While his words put her mind at ease a little, she <em>still <em>needed to make sure she knew where they stood, and how to handle this latest piece of information.

"So... Hanako was sick as well? I'm... I'm sensing a pattern here, Mikaru..."

Mikaru looked at her, staring into her eyes as he composed his thoughts, before starting.

"Well, you need some context before I talk about that. Me, Hanako, Lilly and Hisao went out two nights ago for dinner at the Shanghai."

"... Oh."

"It was a pleasant night between friends, although I would be lying if I didn't say that Hisao was a little more than concerned about the outcome of the date."

Emi almost grinned at that, but resolutely frowned at him while he spoke.

"... Afterwards, when I paid for the meal and we left... me and Lilly heard the scream."

Emi's frowned deepened, but her body lost some of it's tension, turning more to face him as he spoke.

"... I thought I had been imagining things, so I stopped. Obviously, hearing screams in my head isn't... well... it isn't something exactly _new _to me, so I needed to make sure that it wasn't real."

She rested her hand on his bruised arm, shuffling a little closer to him.

"... But, when we heard it _again, _my worst fears were confirmed, and I... and I went to investigate. When I arrived in the alley, a man with... a man with a cleaver was... accosting... a young woman."

She started nodding her head, interrupting his story.

"- Mikaru, we don't need to talk about this if -"

He turned into her, putting his arms on hers and holding her steady. She stopped talking.

"- No, you deserve to hear this. It won't get resolved if I don't talk about it, so listen."

She nodded, and he continued.

"... I told the man... I told the man to stop, or there would be consequences. He raised his weapon."

He paused for a minute, shifting away and continuing his tale in an evenly paced monotone.

"... And I raised my weapons. I circled around the man, putting my body in front of the young woman's to protect her. I stopped moving, intent on telling him to give up once more, but couldn't when I saw my friends behind him. If I had, he would have attacked them, and I wouldn't have been able to stop it. So, I waited. He attacked me then. I..."

She put her arms around his middle, listening to him speak.

"_I put him down. _Not dead, though. Broken ribs, about seven. Shattered Jaw. Sprained shoulder. Maybe a twisted ankle. It... it was after, when I looked at the naked woman that... that I... _fell asleep._"

She listened to his breathing, hearing how he was exerting control over it and his heart, before he continued.

"The last thing I remember of that night was... was Hanako crying. She was scared. Scared, that the way my face looked at hers wouldn't go away."

Emi looked up at him, a little understanding tempering her confused anger.

"... after a time, I noticed it was daylight, and I was alone, talking to a police officer. He asked me to see the woman, and... and I did. And I... it was confusing. Part of me is glad. Part of me is relieved that I got to see her, and put the whole thing behind me. A larger part of me is angry, that it pulled _the other _woman out so much. I was forced to confront more than a rapist that night, you see."

She clutched him a little tighter, listening despite the mild feeling of growing dread that was building inside her.

"... when we got back, I wasn't ready to confront those feelings, so I holed myself up. I waited, hoping that some clarity would find me. What found me instead was Hisao and Lilly, who put things into perspective for me. But, then there was Hanako. She... I think, despite the small time I've known her, she considers me her best friend. Because I don't try to shelter her from the world like the others do. I don't pretend like nothing didn't happen to her. And, most of all... because she was lonely. She doesn't have many people she can really relate with, but she relates with me."

Emi wasn't comfortable with this conversation. However, she knew that she owed it to him to keep her mouth shut and listen, so that she had the full story.

"... I was on my way out when you found me, actually. And then, I found Hanako. I showed her that I was ok, and she accepted that. Afterwards, I came back here, intent on finding some thicker clothing and heading out to the forest again, but... you were still here. And you were drinking. I... I didn't like what I saw so I set you down and held you, talking to you until you fell asleep. After that, I got a little more confused so I went outside. I sat for a couple of hours and got cold, so I came back in. Apparently, you were cold too, so I must have tucked you in to the covers before I passed out. Of course, by then, the sickness started coming on, and I got a little delirious. So, when I woke up, I felt my head pounding, saw the scotch, and assumed that I had partaken as well."

He looked back to Emi, who was looking at the ground. After a minute, she spoke with a soft, hurt voice.

"_How... how did you show her? Did you show her like... like you showed me?"_

Mikaru paused for a moment, finally getting to the real issue. He pulled a little closer to her, and spoke.

"... No, I didn't kiss Hanako. You were my first, actually."

She looked up at me, incredulously, before stammering.

"R – _Really?_"

Mikaru smiled a soft smile at her, nodding.

"Yes. I didn't get the chance before my incarceration, and... I hadn't found the right person afterwards back at home. You... You were the right person to kiss, and it means something to me."

She looked up at him, completely shocked at his confession.

"Did... did it mean something to _you?_"

She nodded, her voice cracking a little.

"Y – yes! Of... of course it did! I don't just go around kissing people because they smell good!"

He chuckled a little, letting out a small cough before resting back in the couch.

"Alright. We kissed. It meant something to you. It meant something to me. Things are different now. How, though? _How _are they different?"

She paused, considering his words. _How, exactly, were things different? I suppose he's leaving it up to me. Do I... do I want this?_

She knew what she had to say.

"... I suppose... _I suppose we'll just have to find out._"

* * *

><p>End of Chapter Sixteen: Behind These Bars, Sick Day at Yamaku Academy!<p>

Next Time! Chapter Seventeen: Behind These Bars, Festival Fun and Crush Confusion!


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter Seventeen: Behind These Bars, Festival Fun and Crush Confusion!**

* * *

><p>The next day, Mikaru Emi and Hisao were up bright and early, intent on going on their run. Mikaru was feeling much better after a day of rest, and Emi managed to not get sick, even though she and Mikaru were spending so much time together. Whether it was luck, or just Emi's superb immune system, they couldn't say, but it was a good thing as the teens ran around the track, enjoying the morning air immensely.<p>

Since they had started doing their runs, Hisao had improved greatly, now being able to make 3 Kilometers without any trouble. Mikaru and Emi were careful not to push him too much, but even then Hisao could tell that they were a little anxious with him around. They had worked out a system where Emi would sprint a lap, then she would keep pace with Hisao while Mikaru sprinted a lap. It was as a great way to make sure that he felt included, and Hisao, being dedicated to the exercise, was happy that they were doing it.

After their run, Emi and Mikaru were doing their cool down together, Hisao having finished his earlier. The air between them was light, but decidedly awkward.

"So, you feeling any better today, Mikaru?"

Mikaru looked over at the girl through the corner of his eye, turning his gaze back forward and speaking.

"Well, yeah. I mean, I'm not feeling any _worse _since we started, anyway. It's going to take me a couple of days to clear the mucous, but I've definitely had worse. And, besides, I don't have to worry about that as much as when -"

Mikaru stopped mid – sentence, leaving Emi hanging.

"... As much as when you..."

Mikaru kept walking, but he was more tense than the start of the conversation.

"It's nothing. I... I don't really want to bellyache over it."

Emi was _not _happy about that. She stopped in place.

"Mikaru... you know I hate it when you lie to me."

Mikaru stopped then as well, although it was a different mood than Emi anticipated.

"_... I don't lie._"

He turned then, stretching out a bit before making for the other side of the track and back to the dorm. Emi had made a mistake. She'd never accused him of lying to her before, but he didn't take that well _at all_, and she _knew _that he was hiding something.

"Mikaru, where exactly do you think you're going? I don't think we're done with this yet."

Mikaru spoke over his shoulder, not even bothering to look back at the girl.

"I'm going to get my gear and do the rest of my workout. And I _do, in fact,_ believe that we are _done with this._"

She stopped in place at his words, watching him as he strode off towards the buildings. After he was a small dot in the distance, she turned around and did the only thing she knew how to do.

She ran.

* * *

><p>Thirty minutes later, Emi opened the door to the fire escape, closing it behind her and watching as Mikaru pounded the air ruthlessly. She'd never seen him do his <em>kata<em> before, and frankly, it scared her a little. It was only when the boy came to a stop that she noticed the blood dripping down his arms.

"... Mikaru?"

He turned to his bag, reaching into it and switching out for the plates. He turned around, looking at her with an expressionless face as he passed the stairwell, finding his spot by the back. She followed him around, standing as he threw his legs up into the air, finding his balance before she spoke.

"I... I don't like to see you like this."

"... I'm sorry about that. My workouts are pretty extreme, but they're necessary. As are the gauntlets."

His voice barely faltered as he pounded through pushups. If she were a little happier, she would have stopped and taken time to appreciate his physique. She spoke instead.

"... I don't like the bleeding, but I know how important your workouts are to you. I'm not actually talking about _those_, though. I'm talking about _you._"

He didn't falter, going at the same rough and violent pace he had set for himself before.

"I... Don't... Think... That's... Fair... I'm... a Liar... After.. All..."

She knew he was baiting her, and she didn't take it.

"I don't think you're a liar, Mikaru. But you're hurting, and I'm just concerned about you is all."

He turned his head, his pace slowing a little before he spoke.

"That's... Not... Fair... Either... You... Should... Not... Worry... About... Things... That... Can't... Be... Helped..."

She sat down, staring at the sky. She wasn't tall enough to see over the concrete wall, so she couldn't appreciate the view of the town like Mikaru could.

"... I don't think so either. It's not fair that you have some untouchable problem that I can't know anything about, when I've already told you what my problems are. It doesn't do well to not share in a relationship."

Mikaru stopped. He was breathing heavily before he kicked off the wall, colliding with the gravel and staring at the plates on his hands.

"... before your accident... did you... did you have a passion?"

She stared at the boy for a moment, thinking a little, before she started talking.

"... No, I didn't start dating until after -"

"- No, not that kind of passion. I mean, a hobby, but more than that."

Realization came over her face, and she spoke.

"... It was always running. I picked it up from my dad. We used to run together... After the accident, they told me I'd never run again. Once I got up, I didn't stop."

Mikaru looked over at her sadly, picking up the plates off the ground.

"... I had a feeling that was the case."

He held a plate out to her, helping her to her feet, then made sure she wasn't touching it before sharply turning away, walking back over to the bag.

"- But, you and I are the same like that. You had your martial arts, and -"

"... _No, we aren't the same like that._"

He disengaged the gauntlets, pulling his arms out and shaking the loose blood off before he pointed to the bag, and Emi saw the medical equipment. She bent down, picking it up, then went to work on patching him up.

"... I guess I'm jealous of you, Emi."

She looked up at him briefly, surprised at the admission, before paying attention to the work.

"Martial arts was a hobby. I was in the land of harmony, so I took advantage of that. But it wasn't my _passion_. I'm not comfortable saying this, but I'm not going to lie to you about it either. As far as your passion goes, losing your legs was... was one of the best things that could have happened."

She had just finished when he said that. She dropped the medical equipment in her hands, looking up at him with shock, confusion and sadness.

"_Excuse me?"_

Mikaru looked back at her, not stopping.

"... You lost a lot to your accident, but in the end, when you had your prosthetic legs, you were given a blessing. You've noticed that you're the fastest. It's a fact. You've worked hard for it too, but it was inevitable. _The laws of Physics are on your side._"

She watched him turn towards the sun, looking at it directly. She would have yelled at him, but she paused to think about it. She hadn't noticed at the time, but even with the training she put in, her strides were _significantly_ longer than that of the average person's, and she was short. She thought harder, and remembered some specifications about her legs, but looked back at him.

"Can you... can you please explain that a little?"

He looked back at her, gesturing to the bench. She sat down, and he did too. He looked off into the distance, looking oddly relaxed for the situation he found himself in.

"I can explain. Your running legs are made out of a carbon – fiber composite material, made in a special lamination process to shape. They are bent more severely than the human calf is, and are naturally springy because of their materials and construction process. I won't run the numbers past you, but if you straightened your back out more and swung your legs out, assuming you could run in a straight line, you'd be faster than a horse at a full gallop. That's _not _an exaggeration."

She gawked at him and his words, not expecting the running lessons from _him_.

"I work with computers for a living. Math is my strong suit. You should be happy to know that you've started doing this anyhow on your own, but I'd experiment with it if I were you, if only for scientific purposes. However, physics aside, my point stands. When you lost your legs, _you kept running. _When I lost my hands... _nothing _could give me back just what I had lost. And that's why I am jealous of you."

She honestly didn't know what to say to that. She knew that he had a serious side, and that he could be blunt, but she just didn't know how to handle his statement about her running. So, instead of storm off like most girls would, or even fight him back, she decided to keep talking about it.

"... I'm... I'm sorry, Mikaru. I... I understand, I think. I can't say it makes me happy to know you have a problem that won't go away, but... even though we've hurt each other today, I don't... I don't want to just give up _after a single fight_. I don't want to lose the ground we've made."

He turned back to her, examining her closely. He was a little surprised that the conversation had taken the path that it did, but he couldn't find himself to be unhappy about it either. He sighed, and spoke.

"That's... heh. Well, nobody told us it would be easy. I think we're _both _a little too stubborn for our own good."

She laughed a bit at that, looking at him. She wanted him to hold her again, and to just forget about their fight today, but was also a little too shy to outright ask for it.

Mikaru put his sweater on, and turned to her.

"There's a nice breeze up here today. Do you... do you want to stay a while longer?"

She nodded eagerly, sliding into his embrace and ignoring his sweat.

She was, after all, sweaty as well.

* * *

><p>An hour later, the two of them were still seated on the bench on the roof, dry now but stinking. Emi looked up at the boy, deciding to break the silence.<p>

"Do you... you you want to go to the festival today with me?"

Mikaru looked down at the girl, thinking about it. After a small amount of deliberation, he spoke.

"... That's... an interesting question. To be honest, I was planning on going down to the park by the _Shanghai_, and relaxing today. I don't particularly feel like going to the festival, but... spending time with you sounds pretty nice. Maybe... we could swing by the festival and pick up some food, but then head out into the gardens and sit under that tree for a while?"

She pondered it for a while. Deciding that it was a good compromise, she nodded at him, smiling. Happy that his words were successful, he stood up to stretch.

"Awesome - Oh, I stink! _Holy crap!_ I'm... impressed at your fortitude, Emi."

She giggled standing up to stretch as well.

"You _are _pretty smelly, but... _I could think of worse ways to spend my time than with a hunk like you._"

He grinned, chuckling at her cheesy line, before bending down and hoisting the weighty bag onto his shoulders.

"I'm flattered, Emi. However, if I am _smelly_, than that is unacceptable. I believe a long, hot shower is in order."

She looked at him, blushing.

"... Emi, I meant by myself."

She blushed even more.

"Dammit, Mikaru! Buzz off you pervert!"

He laughed, letting her open the door for him before stepping through after her. They walked in companionable silence until they reached the bottom of the stairwell.

People were everywhere, moving this way and that, of all ages. They huddled together, and blushed at their shared stink before leaving in a hurry.

* * *

><p>After he finished his shower, he was surprised to find Hisao knocking on his door. He walked up behind him.<p>

"Hey. Looking for me?"

Hisao turned around, reacting quickly.

"Oh, hey Mikaru. I was looking for you. Can I talk to you when you finish getting dressed?"

Mikaru nodded, stepping into his room and closing the door. Five minutes later, he banged on his side, and Hisao came in. Mikaru had yet to pick and put on a shirt, so for the moment he lounged on his couch.

"Hey Hisao, what's on your mind?"

Hisao sat down beside his friend, putting his hands together and looking at the ground.

"I wanted to talk to you about a couple of things, actually. First and foremost, what's going on between you and Emi?"

Mikaru paused a second before speaking.

"... Me and Emi are... in a relationship, apparently. Why?"

Hisao looked over at his friend hurriedly.

"Why? _How? _When did this happen?"

Mikaru didn't wait long to reply.

"Well, you know that morning we woke up together? We really didn't do anything, but... we did talk. I told her about some things that happened in prison, and about a person I used to know, and she helped me... understand some things I didn't before. Then, she told me I had a good heart, and that I should share it with someone. After that, we kissed. You called a couple hours after that."

Hisao took all the information in, before nodding at his friend.

"Well, ok, you kissed. Did she specifically _say _you two were dating, though?"

Mikaru frowned at his friend.

"... Yeah, today, on the rooftop after we resolved... an argument. Why is this so important to you? I'm getting the feeling that you're not okay with this... you don't..."

Hisao put his hands up in a gesture of surrender.

"No no, man. I'm just trying to get all the facts here. And, what about... what about Hanako?"

"- What about Hanako?"

Hisao balked at his friend.

"... you went _with us_, man. Don't give me that crap. Do you even know what you're doing?"

Mikaru stopped at that, thinking. _Me and Hanako aren't... I mean, I don't THINK we are... Am I..._

"... Hisao, am I missing something? Did I... did I do something wrong?"

Hisao put his head in his hands, holding his face. He turned back after a minute, speaking quietly.

"... You have no idea. That makes this _much_ easier to understand. Mikaru, I think you might have been giving me and Hanako the wrong idea. I mean, _I _certainly had the wrong idea, and I wasn't even _there _for a lot of your interactions. From a distance, it looks like you're... treading some dangerous waters. Hanako's been sick the past two days, and Lilly hasn't as far as she's told me, spoken with anyone either. That means they don't know. _One thing I do know, is that you are Hanako's best friend._"

Mikaru looked down, disquieted by this news. He figured that he was one of Hanako's best friends, and he figured that Hanako was his too, but he didn't give dating her much thought recently.

"... I know. I think... I think that's why I should go with this."

Hisao balked at his friend, having an idea of his train of thought.

"If... If I'm Hanako's best friend, then... I think that it would be wrong to pursue her. At least, right now. Emi... it's strange between us. I'm not stupid, though. I know that we don't know all that much about each other, but at the same time, I can't help but feel like, no matter where this goes, it's not... it's not forever. She's been asking me questions I can't answer, and I don't like lying, but... I can't help but get the feeling that _we were meant to be together. _Not forever, but... I think that we both need this, even if it's just a fling. And I'm pretty sure that Emi realizes it too, even if she doesn't know it consciously. It's just the way she is, and the way she thinks."

Hisao frowned, not understanding Mikaru's words much _at all_, but getting the feeling that his friend was right anyhow.

"... I don't know what it is I'm looking for, but I think Emi is supposed to help me find it. After that..."

Hisao nodded. At least _that _made a little sense.

"... I guess your head works a little differently than mine does, Mikaru. I can't say I understood all of that, but I definitely understood your thoughts on Hanako, and I _do _know that your judgement hasn't been wrong before, so... I'm going to go with this. I do think that you have to find a way to let the others know that isn't abrupt, though. It wouldn't do to upset the apple-cart this far into the game."

Mikaru nodded.

"I... thanks, Hisao. I think... I think I needed that conversation. It helped put things into perspective. I think I'm going to enjoy this for what it is, and not worry about things right now. I need to get going soon, but I would appreciate it if you helped me pick a shirt that didn't look like shit, and also helped me find my wallet."

Hisao nodded before freezing in place for a moment, his face lighting up.

"OH! That was the other thing. You forgot to lock your door again. And Kenji was curious."

Hisao passed Mikaru his wallet and he chuckled, maneuvering it into his pocket.

"God, I am _terrible._ Thanks again, Hisao. You're a life saver!"

Hisao chuckled, before finding his friend a shirt that looked nice.

* * *

><p>Hanako laid in bed, staring at the ceiling. She hoped that Mikaru was doing okay. He probably got sick too.<p>

_Mikaru... it felt so good, being held like that. I was so glad to know that he was alright, though. It was really scary seeing him shut down like that. I thought that I might have lost him... _

_He said that we were friends that night, and it felt good. Feeling his warmth sink into me like that, I... it feels like the first time that I've actually enjoyed heat since the fire. I just... I felt so safe in his arms. I wonder if he'd get mad if I asked him to hold me like that again._

Hanako pondered this until she heard a loud knock on the door.

"Hanako? It's Mikaru. Can I come in?"

She snapped her head over to the door. She didn't want him to see her like this. _He must have been... worried..._

"Y – yes..."

The door opened, and Hanako sunk into her sheets, trying to avoid his gaze. The door didn't close as fast as she expected. She peeked out from behind the covers.

Mikaru's eyes found hers, and a small smile graced his face. She blushed from under the covers, happy for once to be able to blame it on her sickness.

"Hey, Hanako. How are you holding up?"

She coughed a little violently, then went completely limp, her hoarse voice sounding bad in her ears.

"I'm... I'm good..."

Mikaru chuckled at that, but Hanako didn't have the energy or the will to try and hide herself.

"Really? You could have fooled me. I... I felt really bad when I heard you got so sick, so I brought you something. From the festival."

He popped a small purple plushie out from behind his back, showing it to her before setting it on her desk.

"Can... can I... hold... it...?"

Mikaru grinned, before picking the toy up, walking it over to her bed and tucking it in beside her head on the pillow. He sat back own after that, and she reached up, holding it in her hands, examining it closely.

"Thank... you... Mi... karu..."

Mikaru gave her a small smile before shifting a little.

"Hey, Hanako? I don't have too much time to hang around. I hope you feel better soon."

She looked at him as he got up and turned to leave.

"Where... where are you going? Are you... are you going back to the festival?"

Mikaru stopped, slowly turning around to look at her again before speaking.

"Sort of. I'm not... I'm not much for festivals. I won that for you, but... well, Emi wanted to hang out today, so I figured that I would let you rest."

Hanako sunk back into her covers.

"Oh... o – ok... Th – thank you... for stopping... by..."

"You're welcome, Hanako... Sleep well."

He turned around, opened the door and walked out.

Hanako laid there, looking at the door for fifteen minutes after he left. When she was sure that he wasn't coming back, she grabbed the plushie he left for her, holding it close to her chest.

... It didn't feel as warm as he did, though.

* * *

><p>The stars hung high in the sky, and Mikaru sat holding Emi by his side underneath their tree. She was cuddled against him, looking up at him and the stars behind him.<p>

"It's a really nice night tonight..."

He looked down at her and smiled.

"Yeah, it is. I thought it was going to be colder."

The music from the festival hung in the air, floating across the breeze. All of a sudden, a blinding white light streaked upwards, cresting and falling down a bit before it died almost to nothing and exploded in a brilliant shower of light blue. Immediately afterwards, more fireworks streaked into the sky, exploding in much the same fashion. Mikaru looked down at the girl, who was looking at him with a slight blush on her face. Slowly, he leaned down, capturing her in a kiss that sent her heart fluttering. She wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him back passionately.

A particularly loud one snapped them out of their embrace, pulling their attention upwards. This one kept on going upwards, flying at least twenty feet higher than the others. When it looked like it was about to come down, it exploded, fragmenting outwards with a tiny pop before the children explosives erupted in a dazzling cacophony. Emi let out a gasp at the display.

"It's beautiful..."

Mikaru's voice from just above her at her side pulled her attention.

"_It is."_

She watched his eyes, seeing the light from the explosions reflected softly. They gave his eyes a gleam that she hadn't seen before. He looked so much more... _alive._

He coaxed her to stand, holding her against him as the fireworks went off in the sky. Her head was tucked just below the center of his chest, looking out towards the school and the show. Mikaru's head was turned the same way, him standing tall in the fire – lit night.

"Mikaru?"

He looked down at the girl, stepping back a bit so he could see her better.

"... Are you happy?"

Mikaru watched her, entranced as the lights from the fireworks show continued to dance in her already glowing eyes. He felt a smile come to his face, one that he didn't think should be there.

"I... I think I am..."

She beamed at his unusually shy words and his kind smile, and she grabbed the back of his head, pulling herself up along his body. His strong arms pinched together at her sides, lifting her up and kissing her once more.

"I'm glad, Mikaru. I... I think... It suits you..."

He smiled a little wider at that, looking back towards the show.

_Am I happy? It's been so long... I didn't even think it was possible. But, Emi makes me happy, I think... I'm not sure, though. Maybe... maybe that's what I'm supposed to learn from her. I think I'm supposed to learn how to... how to be happy. _

Emi's hands wrapped around his torso, feeling a great amount of contentedness in the moment. Her head found it's usual spot just underneath his chest, and his arms were wrapped around her shoulders, holding her against him. She looked like the entire world could crumble around her, and she would have no regrets.

_I think... I think that's definitely what I'm supposed to learn from her. How to be happy. After all... She's the authority on that. _

The show died slowly after, and the two teenagers were left alone under the tree in the moonlight. The contrast was large, but somehow, this image seemed just as beautiful in Mikaru's mind. However, when he tried to think back to the moment before the kiss, all he could remember was the sound of the music in the distance, softly flowing on the breeze.

"... Hey, Emi? Can I ask you something?"

She looked up at him, and he decided to sit them back down. When they were seated, he laid back, allowing her to tuck herself into his shoulder.

"Of course, Mikaru."

"What is it... what is it like to be... happy? What... what does it take?"

She was quiet for a while, pondering his question, trying to formulate the words she needed to answer him.

"Well... I guess, it starts with finding something to be happy about. Once you've found that... well, it's hard to explain... You know what? I think I'm going about this the wrong way. Let me try again."

She adjusted herself, lying more on his elbow, coaxing him with her left hand to lie next to her, so they could look at each other face to face. She stared at him intently, her face curving into a smile, and she started talking blissfully.

"... being happy is something that comes to you. It... it bubbles up from your chest, in your heart, and it comes out in whatever way it needs to. Sometimes, it's a smile. Sometimes, it's a kiss or a hug. And sometimes still, it comes out in another way. I feel happy when I run. I didn't really realize it until a little while ago, but when I ran, it wasn't the running that was making me happy. Looking back on my memories, doing the thing that I loved, allowed me to find the joy in those moments. Does that make sense to you?"

Mikaru pondered it, his eyes going somewhere else. He frowned, but then he found her face again and smiled. "It... it does. I... I think..."

She watched his face turn from a smile into a thoughtful frown, and she sat up, him following her as she went. They sat together, her looking up at him expectantly, him staring back at her with his jaw working a little. After a while, his face glazed over again, but to her surprise he started talking. His voice was quiet, timid, and a little bit scared. He sounded more like a kid this way, but she couldn't help but listen intently.

"I... I think, I... understand... now. I... I want to... to tell you something..."

"What do you want to tell me about?"

"... I want to tell you... about... _about my passion._"

* * *

><p>End of Chapter Seventeen: Behind These Bars, Festival Fun and Crush Confusion!<p>

Next Time! Chapter Eighteen: Behind These Bars, I Dreamed a Dream!


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter Eighteen: Behind These Bars, I Dreamed a Dream!**

**A/N: I do not own the rights to this song. Les Miserables, or any of their works, belong to their respective owners (If they aren't Public Domain by now, which I believe they aren't). So, without further adieu, enjoy the Chapter.**

* * *

><p>Emi was silent. She couldn't believe her ears. Mikaru was about to tell her about his passion. What would it be? What could he never do after losing his hands?<p>

"... Are you sure?"

Mikaru refused to look away from the girl, but fear was plain on his features. He was about to open the wound to his soul; the one that would _never_ heal, after all these years. In it, his greatest regrets and sorrows festered like a plague.

He nodded, the wind dying around them as his haunted voice carried softly to her ears.

"When... when I was a little boy, my father died in a car accident."

Those words struck her close to home. She frowned, about to say something to comfort him, when he spoke unexpectedly.

"... he was... drunk... and... he drove his truck... over... over a cliff... into... Lake Superior, the largest freshwater lake in the world."

Any words of comfort died in her throat at that. Her father was killed by a drunk driver.

"... It wasn't his first time, driving drunk. He was... he was an alcoholic. He used to beat us. He killed my little brother... when he was five."

She gazed at the boy, unable to take her eyes away from the sight of his haunted visage.

"I... even after all of that... I loved him. I loved him, and when he... he died... I didn't know what to do. I was... angry at him. He never apologized... all I ever wanted was to... hear him say he was... he was sorry... and that he... he loved us... just... just once. I was miserable... for... for months... but, one day..."

He paused, his voice dying in his throat. Her grip on him tightened, trying to lend him the strength he needed to finish talking.

"... one day, I was walking downtown in my hometown of parry sound... and... I walked past a house... and... I... I heard something... It... it was beautiful. I, I had never heard anything quite like it. I wanted to see just what the noise was, so I opened the door and... I walked in..."

Emi's mind swirled, passing over all of her memories of him.

"_... I don't particularly feel like going to the festival..."_

_... Mikaru tensed up when he heard the ring tone..._

"_... When I lost my hands... Nothing could give me back just what I had lost..."_

Emi's mind put the pieces of the puzzle together just before he spoke again, her hand raising to her mouth, her eyes clouding over with teary pain. _Oh, god..._

"I walked through the parlor... and I turned into the living room... and sitting there in the corner was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen... playing a song on a piano."

* * *

><p>"I dreamed a dream in times gone by..."<p>

The little boy's heart was pounding in his chest as he stared wide – eyed at the beauty of the scene before him.

_When hopes were high, and life worth living._

_I dreamed that love would never die..._

_I dreamed that god would be forgiving._

_Then I was young and unafraid..._

Mikaru's feet started moving of their own volition, slowly carrying him inches closer to the impassioned musician.

_And dreams were made, and used, and wasted._

_There was no ransom to be paid;_

_No song unsung; no wine untasted._

The music changed subtly, and the woman made the slightest of pauses before flowing slowly back into the music.

_But the Tigers come at night,_

_With their voices soft as thunder;_

As the woman started singing the next part, he felt tears start to run down his face; tears that were unbidden all his life until now, when this sorrowful song jammed into the rusty keyhole in his heart and let loose the floodgates.

_As they tear your hope apart;_

_As they turn your dream to shame._

The woman seemed to stop then. She rested her hands on the delicate white keys before her, her shoulders rising and falling heavily.

"W – What happened next? That _can't _be the end! _It wasn't done yet_!"

The woman flinched at the young boy's teary voice. She spun around on the bench, seeing him standing in her living room with tears in his eyes and shock on his face. He had bruises on almost every single part of his body that she could see, and he looked dirty; his clothes caked in filth.

Her heart broke for him. She got up, walking swiftly to the boy, getting down on her knees and hugging him.

* * *

><p>"... I was newly orphaned. The car crash that had taken my father's life... took my mothers as well. I was too badly beaten to go, so I was left at the hospital. I had gotten out, though, when they told me that my parents weren't coming to get me. I was supposed to go to an orphanage, but... I went there instead. The woman took me in that night, cleaning me up. She couldn't have children of her own. Her husband of two years left her because of that. So, she shared her life and her heart with me. She taught me how to play piano. According to her... <em>according to everyone, I was a prodigy.<em>"

Emi was heartbroken for the boy. She watched him go on, as the tears still flowed for his loss. He was crying, too.

"... When I was nine, I had composed my first concerto. It was performed by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. I was something of a celebrity, for a time... well... 'Michael Souta' was a celebrity."

He paused at that, turning away and looking up to the moon.

"... We moved away from Canada later that year. I picked up more instruments than just piano."

* * *

><p>"H – hello, Mr. Souta..."<p>

A kindly, slightly older Japanese man smiled at the little boy, making him turn into his mother's side. The man chuckled, speaking English with a heavy accent.

"Ah, Hello Mikaru! Why don't you call me 'Oji'! I've heard a lot about you from your mother! Is it true that you're better at music than she is?"

The little boy looked at the man, instantly appreciating his kind tone and praise.

"I – I don't know, O – Oji... but, M – mommy says... that I'm... better..."

The man chuckled, leading him over to a piano that sat in the corner. The boy's face lit up like a Christmas tree, and he looked up at the man, the question burning in his eyes. The man nodded, and the boy ran over to the instrument, taking a seat and feeling the ivory beneath his fingers. He touched a few keys, letting a couple discordant notes ring out, before he twitched his foot. The noise stopped, and his face cleared. His eyes snapped open, passion bleeding over the keys as he played his favorite song, Arabesque No. 1. The man's smile fell from his face slowly, watching the boy as he slid through the poses, flawlessly and passionately performing the piece. He looked over at his sister, speaking in Japanese.

"This boy... he's _incredible..._"

The woman didn't take her eyes off of her son.

"... He didn't know a thing about music when he met me. I was singing a song, and he came into my home. He watched me as I played. I think... music helped him forget. Either that, or..."

The boy kept playing, managing to keep his fingers moving as he turned around to beam at his mother. Her brother smiled at him, putting an arm around her shoulder.

"... No, I don't think that's true. I think _you _helped him forget. I think he did it for you."

She hugged her brother, staring proudly at the bright – eyed youth.

The song ended, and the boy got up, his eyes locked on a guitar that hung on the wall.

"O – Oji? Can I try your guitar?"

The man took it off the wall, handing the boy the instrument.

"Ok, Mikaru! Here, let me show you some chords..."

* * *

><p>"... Life was hard over here. I was the <em>gaijin boy, <em>and they were jealous of my talent. One of the boys tried to break my fingers one day, and my mother decided it was time for me to start learning how to defend myself. I learned Wing Tsun, which helped me to become more confident. Then... one day, we started fighting. Me and my mother, and... I left. I stormed out. When... when she got the call, she... She hung up. She didn't come to see me at the hospital. She came on the last day of court. When I was sentenced, I looked for her. I met her eyes one last time. She cried, and turned away from me. Ever since then, I couldn't do music. I never did it for myself. I think..."

Emi had her hands on his shoulders, her head on his chest listening to him and his heart. His arms were holding her, underneath the old tree that acted as their shelter.

"I think I was incapable of happiness ever since... my brother died. And... when I saw her singing that sad song, looking so beautiful, I wanted to make sure... that she never cried a sad tear in her life, ever again. Music let me do that, and her happiness made _me_ happy. When I... when I shamed her that day, robbing her of her son, I knew that I could never be happy again, because I had failed her."

Emi turned her head to meet his gaze. He looked down at her slowly, watching as her lip quivered.

"... you were so busy living for others, you didn't notice, did you?"

He watched her, waiting for her to say what she needed to say.

"You didn't notice... that making others happy _made you happy._ But, that's what makes _everyone_ truly happy."

His jaw hung open a bit, and he gasped softly.

"When... when I see you smile... it makes me happy. And when I smile... you smile back sometimes, too. You've lost so much, had your heart broken so many times, but... _I think that you can still find happiness. _It may seem hard some days; like all the light is gone from the world... but you're not finished yet. _You can still live for others and live for yourself as well_."

She leaned down to his face, giving him a soul crushing kiss. He kissed her back with everything he had, tears still running down his face. As they kissed, he felt her tongue tickle his bottom lip, and he gasped from the sensation. When his mouth opened, she brushed her tongue against his, and he brushed it back. After that second greeting, they adjusted themselves, breathing furiously through their noses as their kiss deepened.

After a while, they broke apart, gazing at each other with heavy eye lids. Emi had a small smile on her face, and it made Mikaru smile as well. When he did, hers widened.

"_See? You're already well on your way._"

She leaned down once more, capturing his lips. The rest of the night was spent under the stars, kissing each other and enjoying the night.

* * *

><p>Hanako sat up in her bed after a long, restless slumber. She looked around her bedroom, wiping the sleep from her eye, and observing the bright moonlight that filtered through her window. After a while, she turned slowly, pulling her knees to her chest. To her right sat the small purple plushie that the kind boy had won for her, and it's small black eyes shone brightly. She reached down, picking it up in her hands and examining it closely. As Hanako examined the small toy, she found herself thinking about the boy. It wasn't the first time this night.<p>

_He... he's so kind to me. He... doesn't treat me like... like I'm a frightened little girl, like... like the others. He... he doesn't force me to... to do anything I don't... I don't want to... He said he doesn't like festivals, but... he won this for me. I can't help but wonder though... why, exactly... doesn't he like festivals? I know he's not a very happy person, but... maybe he's just too selfless to enjoy a festival?_

Hanako turned, holding the plushie close to her bosom and looking up at the stars. The moon shone brightly in the night.

_Maybe... he's too selfless to enjoy... enjoy much of anything... No, that's not true. He... he enjoys me, right? I... I make him happy, don't I?_

She clutched the toy a little closer, looking down at the fields surrounding her dorm. Off to one side, she saw what looked like two people, snuggled against each other in the base of a tree.

_I wonder... I wonder if that would ever be... us, someday, Mikaru? Could I... could I really open myself up that much?_

She felt a tear roll down her eye.

_I... I hope so..._

Hanako felt her gaze turn to the sky once more, and a song from her youth came to her mind. It was a song that her Aunt used to sing to her. She didn't remember what the English words meant anymore, but she remembered how they sounded to this day.

"There was a time... when men were kind... With their voices soft, and their words... inviting... There was a time, when love was blind... And the world was a song, and the song was exciting..."

Hanako's voice was soft, and a tiny bit croaky, but the notes were pitch – perfect as she sung. Her tears slid down her face slowly, almost like they were matching the tempo of the sad song she sang. As she sang, she started thinking about better times... and again, about the boy who had captured her attention.

_I wonder... if Mikaru... would like to... to sing with me?_

Hanako didn't sleep that night, either.

* * *

><p>As the night went on, under the stars, Emi was having thoughts of her own about a large boy with no hands, singing a song for her.<p>

"... Mikaru?"

Mikaru turned his gaze down to the girl in his arms, waiting for her to speak.

"Will you... _Did you... _Did you... ever... sing?"

Mikaru looked away slowly, staring at the stars. Yesterday, if he had even heard the word sing, he would have probably bolted. Now, with this girl in his arms, and his thoughts now painted in his head, he could do nothing but answer her.

"There was a time, when I... I did, even after the accident. It... it had to do with... _with Dan._"

She looked at him, her face completely still, waiting for him to elaborate.

"... In... In prison... Nothing... _nothing_... was free. Some people traded cigarettes. Others, their dignities. But Dan wasn't interested in anything the others had to offer. He, in all his life, had only wanted one thing. Instead, he got martial arts."

* * *

><p>"Kanasu."<p>

The boy looked up from his spot on the bunk. A muscular boy with a scar running from his collarbone down his torso, and ending around his hip, looked at him from the other side of the room. The other two were asleep on the top bunks, completely oblivious to the two troubled boys.

"... You don't talk much. Why are you here?"

The quiet boy turned over, no longer looking at the boy across the room.

"I don't want to talk about it."

"- You don't look like you belong here."

Mikaru turned over then, anger flashing in his eyes. He hissed at the boy across the room.

"- And what the fuck does it matter to you? Leave me alone..."

He turned over stiffly, intent on ignoring the boy. He couldn't though, when his voice sounded across the room, and the words registered in his mind.

"... I don't belong here either. I know that look in your eyes. Your parents are dead, aren't they?"

Mikaru snapped his head over to the boy, sitting up quickly in his bunk.

"... You don't know what you're talking about. Stop it."

The other boy didn't.

"... Assaulting an officer, eight counts. Infanticide, one count. Two counts of first degree murder."

Mikaru stopped. He wanted to jump across the room and hurt the boy, but something in his voice made him stop. Something... familiar.

"... He hit me. A lot. Told me that I needed to be strong. He taught me things. Dangerous things. One day, he got drunk and beat my mother and sister to death. I hit him. I didn't stop. I was scared. There was blood everywhere. When the police arrived, they tried to get me help. I thought they were trying to hurt me too, so I hit them. I didn't know any better, but my actions got me labelled as a danger to society, and I was placed here."

Mikaru looked down. _That _was something he could relate to. All of it, even if it didn't happen quite the same way for him.

"... I didn't want to hurt people. All I ever wanted was to make people happy. To make my mother happy, and to give my sister the life I never had."

Mikaru looked up at the boy, watching him silently.

"... what about you? You don't really look like the kind of person that hurts people."

"... One count of attempted rape. Three counts of manslaughter. Four counts of attempted murder. Six counts Assault and Battery."

The buy scoffed, crossing his arms and looking off towards the window.

"- That's bullshit."

Mikaru's eyes widened at the audacity of the boy.

"_Excuse me?"_

The boy looked back at Mikaru speaking in the same tone.

"I said That's _bullshit_, Kanasu. Look at you, curled up in a ball every night. You're covered in more scars than _the moon_, and you're deformed. I don't believe for _one second_ that you could do anything like that."

Mikaru seethed at the boys words. They weren't actually all that mean, but they hit a nerve anyhow.

"Fuck you, asshole! I wasn't always hideous! OR helpless!"

"... so you're helpless, then?"

Mikaru froze, taking in the boy's words. _Was he helpless? _He didn't really know.

"... You're a foreigner, Kanasu. A _gaijin_. And you've got the misfortune of being a big one, too. You're going to be the biggest guy on the yard. Are you really _ready _for that? Wait, you don't need to answer. You aren't ready. _They're going to fucking kill you, _kid."

Mikaru's eyes widened, and he scooted himself into the back of his cot, holding his arms around his knees.

"What – What am I supposed to do? I can't handle this. I'm not even supposed to _be _here! _This is all wrong..._"

The other boy got up, walking over to the frightened teen's cot and sitting down.

"... I'm the most dangerous person here. And you're going to be the biggest. I could... I could help you, you know."

Mikaru froze, turning his eyes to look at the boys back.

"... You're... You're lying."

The older boy turned around, meeting Mikaru's frightened gaze. He shuffled over on the bed, grabbing one of the boy's arms. The boy didn't resist, but winced at the boy's iron grip.

"... When these heal up... You've got potential. More than just a little, too. You could be powerful."

Mikaru balked at the idea of _him, the frightened little boy, _becoming powerful.

"... You _could_ help me... but you won't, will you?"

The boy let go of his arm, looking at him.

"... Not for free, no. I'll... I'll tell you what, though. You give me _one reason _to keep quiet about this, and I'll help. No questions asked."

The boy paused, looking at him. He was scared, but he knew that he could, in fact, give him something worthwhile. It would kill him, though.

"... You want to make people happy, right? I could... I could teach you how..."

The boy crossed his legs on the bed, suddenly interested in what the boy had to say.

"... I'm listening. Thirty seconds."

Mikaru spoke instantly, but timidly.

"I... I wasn't always... Kanasu Mikaru... I used to go... by another... another name..."

The boy mentally amended his thirty second time limit. If he was interested before, _now he was intrigued._

"... Where... where I came from... I used to be called... Souta... Michael Souta."

The boy scanned his memories, trying to remember where that name came from. He didn't get to finish before Mikaru spoke again.

"... I am... _I was_... a musician. I could... I could... _teach you_..."

_Music? I never thought I would be able to learn it here. It seems... It seems that we have more to offer each other than I thought..._

"... We start tomorrow. Don't go outside."

The boy crossed the room silently, getting under his thin sheet and closing his eyes.

* * *

><p>Mikaru didn't have hands, so writing was hard. He was a smart boy, though, and he developed a compromise for showing the older boy his craft. It involved singing a note, and using a grid system on a piece of paper to show him where the notes were, as well as using that same grid system to show him how to properly write his notes out so they would fit on the page. The boy made good on his promise to teach Mikaru his craft, as well. He modified certain forms and strikes to take advantage of the lesser proportional reach Mikaru had, as well as showed him how to get stronger. Eventually, they started to become friends. He never did learn the other boy's name, however.<p>

* * *

><p>"... I used my voice to teach him music, so he could make somebody happy. One day, though, he died. And, since he never got to make someone happy... I figured that it was a bad idea to sing. An insult to his memory. I... I don't think I'm ready to perform again, but... because of you, I think that... I might, one day. That's... that's more than I ever..."<p>

She put a finger to his lips.

"... Thank you, Mikaru. I don't want to ruin this by pushing you too far. I've heard enough."

She snuggled into him. Feeling her eyes get heavy, she started squirming, trying to keep awake.

"... You can fall asleep, you know. It's not the first time, and I'll make sure nothing happens."

She smiled, and fell into a deep sleep.

After he was certain she wouldn't wake, he sat up, adjusting her to hold her on his lap in his arms, and looked up pensively. He felt a tickling in his throat, and a burning in the back of his head. Without thinking, his mouth opened, and he started to sing softly.

_He slept a summer by my side..._

_He filled my days with endless wonder..._

_He took my childhood in his stride..._

_But he was gone when Autumn came._

Mikaru felt a tear fall down his face as he heard his voice. It wasn't what it used to be, but... he still had it. It was there, and the knowledge with it. He suppressed his thoughts and kept singing, feeling a deep pain in his heart as we went.

_And still I dream he'll come to me;_

_That we will live the years together..._

_But there are dreams that cannot be,_

_And there are storms we cannot weather!_

Mikaru looked down at the girl, the tears in his eyes almost blinding him. He raised an arm to wipe away the tears but froze, staring at where his hand should be. The next part was whispered through tears, in metre with the song in his mind.

"I had a dream, my life would be... so different from this hell I'm... Living... So different now, then what it seemed -"

Mikaru stopped, his voice dying. The music paused in his head, and he tensed up again.

_No... I... I won't let myself finish. I... I can still..._

"Now... Life..."

_NO! YOU CAN'T DO THIS! I WON'T LET YOU!_

"... _Has... Killed..._"

_Please... Stop..._

"The... The... The..."

_Now life has killed the... Life has killed my dream._

The boy stood up, cradling the girl in his arms, and walked away from the tree. He paused, looking towards the Girl's Dormitories, and a single window in particular. Then, he moved his eyes down to the sleeping girl in his arms. He fell to his knees slowly, barely jostling the girl in his arms, before sobbing silently.

_Life... has... Killed... My dream..._

* * *

><p>End of Chapter Eighteen: Behind These Bars, I Dreamed a Dream!<p>

Next Time! Chapter Nineteen: Behind These Bars, Labels and Growing Rifts!


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter Nineteen: Behind These Bars, Labels and Growing Rifts!**

* * *

><p>Emi woke up in a haze. Her mind was swimming over the thoughts of yesterday, the day when she and Mikaru had learned so much about one another. She smiled, before remembering his words about his passion.<p>

She felt her heart sting at the thought of the once – exuberant boy losing so much of himself. Yet, as she thought, for once... She was truly scared of him. He had given her so much, laid bare so much of himself in that one day, and she found herself at a loss as to how to react... because she knew that she couldn't do the same. He was a smart boy. She knew, even though he hadn't even asked, that he knew what had happened to her. He was probably the smartest person she knew, and it scared her. He's already figured out so much, without even asking. How long...

How long will it take him to realize that she couldn't give herself to him the same way he had given himself to her?

She rolled over in her bed, clutching herself. Then, another thought came to her mind, leaving a bittersweet taste in her mouth.

"I fell asleep in Mikaru's arms last night... I woke up here, though. He must have dropped me off before going to bed himself -"

Another thought, more terrifying than the others, loomed in her mind.

... He... he _did_ go to sleep, right?

She realized with a start that, if _she_ was having trouble with this new information, then he must...

She threw the covers off of herself, bolting upright before she flew out of her bed, hitting the ground painfully. She looked down. _Of all the nights to take them off..._

She reached for her running prostheses, putting them onto her legs before pulling herself upright with the help of her desk. When she was up, she turned to the door, throwing it open before sprinting out... right into Mikaru's chest.

"E – Emi, are you ok? That's the second time now."

She looked up at him, before wrapping her arms around him in a crushing hug. Mikaru stood there dazed for a second, but wrapped his arms around her anyway.

"Hey, are you ok? Is something wrong?"

She looked up at him, examining his eyes and face closely. He looked ok. _That's... that's..._

"I... I had... a nightmare..."

He frowned, looking around him before hanging his head low and whispering.

"Do... Do you wanna talk about it?"

She shook her head and put it in it's usual place below his chest.

"... No. I... No."

He held her for a second before letting go. He looked at her.

"I was... I was just coming to see if you'd like to come down to the track with me. I'm in the mood for a bit of a run, but Hisao wasn't able to get up."

She smiled, nodding her head and following him down the hall. After taking a few steps, they heard a voice from one of the doorways.

"Mikaru? Is that you?"

Mikaru and Emi stopped, hearing Lilly's voice from behind them. They both turned, standing side by side.

"Hey Lilly. It's me. Emi is with me. What's up?"

She frowned for a second before smiling a bit and talking.

"Oh, nothing. I checked on Hanako this morning. She says she feels much better now."

Emi didn't say anything. Mikaru nodded, speaking to Lilly.

"That's good to hear. I thought that she was still going to be sick when I dropped by yesterday."

Emi looked up at him when he said that. He was still focusing on Lilly, though, so he didn't notice.

Lilly's smile widened, and she spoke.

"She was worried about you. Seeing you again made her happy, and she perked up considerably."

Emi looked _very _uncomfortable right now. Mikaru cast a glance downwards, seeing her less – than – happy face, and frowned himself. He turned back to Lilly and spoke.

"That's good. I was going to drop in, but Emi wanted to go for a run. We were just on our way out, actually."

Lilly frowned, putting hands under her chest, before speaking.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know I was keeping you. Will you be joining us tomorrow for lunch?"

Mikaru paused, looking down at Emi, seeing her unhappy face. She was looking in her eyes, and they were trying to say something.

_No, I don't think that's a good idea._

He looked up at Lilly, and spoke.

"... I think I can do that; It's been too long. Well, we better get going now. It was nice talking with you, Lilly."

Lilly smiled, nodding in his direction before turning around and leaving. As she turned, Mikaru turned as well, taking Emi with him.

They didn't say a word the entire walk to the track.

* * *

><p>When they were stretching out before their run, Mikaru spoke.<p>

"... you seem troubled. Is something the matter?"

Emi turned to him, pausing before turning away to stretch more.

"I don't think you spending time with them is a good idea. I thought you were going to eat with me."

Mikaru kept stretching, speaking as he did.

"Well, like I said, it's been too long. Ever since the incident, we haven't actually all gotten together as a group."

Emi kept stretching, taking a moment before she spoke.

"I... I just..."

Mikaru stopped, returning to a relaxed stance before walking in front of her.

"... I get the feeling you're not going to let this go. What's the real problem here?"

Emi got up, having just finished her stretches. Instead of immediately going to start her run, however, she crossed her arms and looked at him.

"You didn't tell me that you were with Hanako."

Mikaru crossed his arms as well, leaning to the side on one leg.

"Yeah? It wasn't important. I dropped by yesterday before I met up with you, because she was sick. She's my friend, after all. I have the right to be concerned."

Emi huffed, getting angry.

"Yeah, but you didn't -"

"I didn't what?"

She paused, seeing that Mikaru was getting angry. He _didn't_ get angry.

"... You didn't tell me. We need to talk about these things -"

"- There isn't much to talk about. You have your friends, and _I have mine_. _They don't disappear_ because we're in a relationship."

"This isn't about making people disappear! Maybe _I _wanted to have lunch with you?"

Mikaru grinned. It was a bitter smile, one that held little mirth.

"Emi, we always have lunch together. Are you saying that I can't eat with my friends anymore?"

Emi paused at that, looking at the ground. She didn't quite feel as angry as she did a second ago.

"N – No, but..."

"Then me eating with my friends shouldn't be a problem. No, _me eating with my friends _isn't the problem at all. If that's not it, then _what is_?"

Emi looked up at the boy, wearing a sad frown.

"When... when you looked at Lilly, and you spoke, I... I didn't feel as... as important as they were. _I still don't_."

_That _was a problem that Mikaru could deal with.

"... Emi. It's not necessarily about you or them. It's about me."

Her face widened, and she started to tremor a bit. _Those words weren't good words._ But, her fears were allayed when Mikaru stepped closer to her, pulling her into a hug.

"... you told me yesterday... that I could still live for others... and live for myself as well. For the past few days, I've been... I've been stretching myself thin, trying to... make everyone happy. It's a daunting task. But, that was an opportunity. To live for myself again. I don't want you to get it into your head that you're less important than they are. At the same time, though, I still think that the others are important. You're all important to me, very important in fact, because... I don't have very many people left. _I _want to make you _all _happy, but I can't do that if I don't_ see them_, or if I _single anyone out_. Does that make sense?"

His voice was soft, and it had the desired effect. She felt bad about saying what she did. But, at the same time, she felt good that she was still getting through to him in some way.

"... we're pretty bad at this, huh?"

He let out a chuckle, pulling her a little closer to him. She wrapped her arms around him.

"I don't think it's healthy otherwise. I mean, can you _imagine_ how bad it would be if we just let this stuff fester?"

She let out an abrupt laugh, for some reason imagining the two of them screaming at each other as _Chibi _characters.

"... Yes, I think I can. It's Chibi. Not a pretty thing."

Mikaru laughed at that.

"Here, let's run a bit, ne?"

She smiled at him, pulling away before nodding.

"Hey, Hisao's not here right now... _are you thinking what I'm thinking?_"

_... Make – up sex is a great way to fix the mood..._

"- The thought of racing you when Hisao wasn't here _did _cross my mind..."

She smiled, nodding. As she turned away though, stepping up to the line, her mind's gears had completely shut down.

_... Well that's thoroughly depressing. Dammit, boy..._

"... You ready for this, Emi? Cause... I don't think you've actually seen me at my _peak, _yet."

Her mental gears started whirring at the thought of making him peak.

"... ello? _Earth to Ibarazaki? - Oh great, I broke her..._"

She snapped out of her decidedly dirty thoughts, blushing deeply and sputtering.

"H – hey! Are we gonna do this or what?"

Mikaru chuckled, getting into a low launch position.

"... You should focus up, Emi. _The gutter _isn't exactly a _good place_ to be _running_."

"- Oh, _That is it! _You're going _down, _Mikaru! _Winner picks the prize!_"

Mikaru didn't look over at her. _Oh, shit... _

"Sounds good. Just... _don't cry when I cream you._"

She completely died inside when he said that. Her thoughts were a blur; a giant, dirty blur, and she could barely register his words as he spoke.

"Ready..."

She was desperately trying to pull away from those thoughts. _They would do her no good, here. _

"Set..."

Her mind cleared for her when she heard that word. _So, he wants to play dirty, huh? Fine by me. _

"GO!"

He launched, taking her by surprise at _just how much power_ was locked in his muscular legs. She launched almost a second after him, stumbling the slightest bit before breaking into as fast of a sprint as she could. She was amazed at the sheer speed he had gained in the small amount of time he had to run before she did, but amazed even more that the boy was _still gaining speed._

"We go four laps, Ibarazaki. Don't worry about the lead."

Her running grin slipped off of her face for a second, before she put on a burst of speed, recapturing her smile.

"_I have nothing to worry about!"_

They rounded the first corner, Mikaru having the inside corner advantage. This race wasn't about lanes; it wasn't even necessarily about who could make it to the finish first. If they made it at all. No, this race was more of a battle. It was a battle of wills, and dammit, _hers was steel._

They made it to the second straightaway of the race. One corner down, seven to go.

Emi was making up ground. After another burst of sprinting, she came up to his side, talking in front of her.

"You... Expect... to go... four... laps... like this?"

Her tone was mocking. Mikaru grinned, putting his own burst of speed on.

"... No... I... expect... to go... a little... faster... than this..."

He pulled ahead a little, Emi grunting before meeting up with him again. Soon enough, they reached the next corner, but Emi was forced to fall in behind him when she had to slow down.

One thing that made running a pain for her was the lack of stability her legs had on corners. Since she didn't have ankles to bend, she couldn't lean as much into her corners, and had to settle for adjusting her trajectory gradually. Mikaru knew this, and was using the corners to his advantage, much to her chagrin. By the time they had finished rounding the corner, Mikaru was an eighth of a length ahead of her, and he _wasn't _slowing down.

He fell back a little into a longer stride, letting his height do the hard work for him. Emi frowned, changing her tactics and sprinting as fast as she could on the straightaway. Although she managed to overtake him, he _always _managed to pass her right back on the corners. This annoyed Emi; she was _sure _that he would tire eventually, but it just wasn't happening.

By the sixth corner, seeing him return to his full – tilt corner sprint was a thing that she _hated._ When she came up on the straight away, she decided that she wanted to know how this could be. Sprinting up beside him, she slowed her usual breakneck pace and spoke in a gasping wheeze.

"_How... do... you... keep... this... up_?"

He looked at her, before turning his head back and speaking in the same tone he had for the entire race.

"You... Thought... you... had me... on... endurance..."

He paused, building the suspense and dread in her before he spoke.

"I... suppose... this is... a bad... time... to tell... you... that I... completed... _Hyakunin... Kumite... _Huh?"

She paled. _The 100 man battle? That's one of the ultimate tests in mental and physical endurance. There were less than fifty people in the whole world who had done it! If he completed that..._

He pulled ahead of her, setting into a hearty sprint for the seventh corner. She was in _trouble_. If he won this, then she _knew _he would _never_ let her live it down. Neither would her team, for that matter. But, She was running out of time. There were only two straights left, and if she couldn't get a substantial lead on him before the last corner, then she stood no chance.

As they finished the seventh corner, she wracked her brain for ways to overcome his endurance and height advantage. Then, as she was staring at him, thinking about his long strides, she remembered the conversation they had about her running on the roof. _Straighten my back and swing my legs out, huh? Let's put that to the test._

As she came to the straightaway, she battled her instinct, straightening her back and swinging her legs. She slowed at first, but she also noticed that her strides were getting longer, too. With a triumphant grin, she started to speed up, reaching the boy faster than she ever had before. She had to swing outwards even, just to avoid him, but as she did, She noted his surprised gasp with pride as she pulled well ahead of him. She looked back, smiling at the boy. Just then, though, he paled, pointing in front of her.

When she turned back, it was too late. The corner was already on her, and _she couldn't slow down. _She let out a little scream as she barrelled off of the track, stumbling a little before her leg caught on something, tripping her up. As she turned in the air, she felt her legs extend. Panicking, she bent her knees as fast as she could, barely managing to loose her legs in time before she hit the ground _hard, _tumbling before rolling to a stop. When her inertia ended, she slowly unrolled her body, hurting everywhere. _That sucked_...

She felt hot tears come to her eyes. Her prostheses were somewhere else. She didn't even know. With a start, she realized that she was helpless, and started sobbing. She didn't have long to sob, though, as she saw grass fly up from her side, and Mikaru was there.

"_Oh holy shit... _Emi, are you ok? Emi?"

She looked up at the boy, concern dancing in his green blue and copper eyes, and shook her head, rolling onto her side painfully. She cried, looking out across the grass towards the small forest behind the track, unable to put her thoughts into words. She felt his arms then, rubbing over her right side, before he used his stub to roll her onto that side when he was sure nothing was broken. She was looking past him now, and he was checking her again. When he reached her knee, she felt a sharp throb of pain, followed by an even sharper feeling of dread.

She felt herself get rolled over again, and he slowly put an arm beneath the offending knee. He lifted it up a little, looking into her eyes.

"Emi, I'm going to move your calf now. It's only a little, though. It's going to hurt, but I need to check to see if your knee is broken, ok?"

She nodded, closing her eyes tight and gritting her teeth. She felt his arms shift a little, and then she felt the slightest of pressures on the top of her calf. He had started breathing deeply, and the sound of his breath calmed her a little. Slowly, just feeling the slight pressure on her calf, and listening to his breathing, she found herself stopping her tears, before she matched his breathing exactly. His lungs were bigger than hers, but her years of running and exercise had given her an excellent diaphragm. After a minute of their deep breathing, he took an even deeper breath and held it, making her do the same. Then, the slight pressure built, and she felt a deep throb in the centre of her knee. When she was like this though, fuzzy from the amount of oxygen now in her system, she noticed that it was _definitely _not her kneecap that was the problem, and it put her mind at ease. It hurt still, drawing fresh tears, but she no longer felt the panic that made her sob. As soon as it had started, it was over. Her leg was down on the ground again, and his hands had moved from her leg to her shoulders. Slowly, she opened her eyes, rubbing the tears from them before looking up at his concern – filled face.

"Were you paying attention?"

She nodded.

"It's... I think it's just a sprain..."

He relaxed a little, slumping his shoulders a little before picking her up a little, giving her a very soft hug.

"... You had me scared for a bit there."

She wrapped her arms around his neck, feeling him push his legs into a cross – legged position and inhaling deeply.

"... _I was certain you were going to win._"

She laughed a little at his words despite her pain, and she let go of him. When she did, he did too, looking at him with a slight smile on her face.

"Really?"

He laughed a little, nodding.

"Yeah. I figured that I had to distract you as long as I could, so you didn't remember you could run faster than a horse. I guess... I was a little too good at distracting you..."

She frowned a little, looking away, before an idea came to her mind, and she looked back at him, a devilish, flirtatious smile spreading on her face.

"... You were. I wouldn't be in this mess, otherwise... _So, how are ya gonna make it up to me?_"

It took his mind a second to process what she was asking him, and he chuckled before speaking in something of the same tone.

"Haha... Well, you were going to win anyway, so... _Why don't we just call this one 'yours.' You won, Emi. So, Name your price._"

It didn't take her long to come up with a suitable answer.

"My price? ... _You. _I want _you. Very. Soon._"

She winced as her knee jostled a little bit.

"... Just... not as soon as I had planned..."

Mikaru chuckled, blushing a little but not turning away.

"... Well, I'm no coward. And I _never _lie. _Soon_... _As soon as you're ready_... _You've got your shot_."

She raised an eyebrow in challenge. In spite of the day, there was _passion_ in the air.

"- _Just a shot?_ I don't think you know _how this works. I don't _pull my punches. _When I want something... I take it._"

He blushed, nodding and picking the girl up before heading back towards the school.

* * *

><p>The visit to the Nurse's office went about as well as they thought it would, with Emi's knee being put into a compression wrap, and a slap being put on their wrists. When they got back to the Girl's dorms, however, things started getting a little weird.<p>

"- Wahahahaha! Hey there, Mikachan!"

Mikaru stopped in place, Emi looking up at him with something akin to dread on her features, before they both took deep breaths and Mikaru turned to face Misha.

"... Hey, Misha. What's... What's up..."

The girl completely ignored his reluctant tone, pressing her attack.

"Wahahaha! Why, nothing, Mikachan! OH! And you have Emi with you as well!"

Emi blushed a bit, looking elsewhere. Mikaru sighed, closing his eyes, before looking back at the girl.

"Yes, I do. Can this... _can this wait?_ I was just on my way to take Emi to her room..."

Misha's eyes glinted at the boy's words, and she _still spoke._

"You're taking her to her room? That's awfully forward of you, Mikachan! And in broad daylight, no less! I don't think you're very good at this. Right? Right?"

She gave off an _annoying_ giggle, and Mikaru honestly considered _dropping the girl_ and _fleeing_. Mikaru's patience was wearing thin.

"... No."

Misha laughed her irritating laugh again, and opened her mouth once more.

"- It doesn't do very well to lie to me, Mikachan! I know young love when I see it! WHAHAHA -"

"_Oh, for the love of god, _JUST SHUT UP! I'm _not _in the _mood_ for this right now. _I'm not a liar_, and Goddammit, _I'm NOT going to have SEX WITH HER when she's HURT!"_

The bubbly girl deflated a little, visibly hurt by his yelling. She didn't speak for a whole minute. She turned to leave, but stopped in place. Mikaru was about to apologize, but she decided that it would be better to speak instead.

"... So... _You're going to have sex with her when she gets better, then?_"

Mikaru gave an exasperated sigh, turning in place and stomping off towards Emi's room. A couple of heads were poking out of their doors, but the sounds of slamming and whispered giggling was prevalent as he walked through the hall. Emi was blushing up a storm, and by the time they got into the room in question, Mikaru was _fuming_.

He set the girl down on her bed gently, swiftly propping her knee on a pillow before he stood up bolt straight, pacing. Emi noted with a little fear that he was _pissed, _but it wasn't fear for her own safety she was feeling. Truth be told, she was actually a little _pleased _with what had just occurred, but she wouldn't tell him that. She had her own reasons, anyway.

"... Mikaru?"

He stopped in place, turning to her slowly and speaking over his shoulder. His voice was soft and measured with her, but the anger he was feeling still came through a bit.

"... Yes, Emi?"

After he spoke, he resumed his pacing, but made sure to be a little quieter than he had been before.

"... Thanks."

He stopped completely, turning towards her and settling down a bit.

"... Huh?"

He looked _really _confused. She would have giggled at just how _cute _it made him look, but what she had to say was a little more important, so she bit her tongue.

"For... what you said, it was... it was really sweet. I've had a few boyfriends who... who weren't so chivalrous..."

The word sounded completely foreign on her tongue. It was almost like she could _taste _it, and the flavour was bitter. Mikaru however, just sat down on the edge of her bed, with his arms resting on his knees and his back hunched over. He was looking out into the corner, at a small potted plant that had been put there recently. He spoke into the room, but the words were soft, only meant for her.

"... It's... it's just who I am, I suppose. I've always been like that. Always. My father... he was... he was strange like that. I suppose that's... that's why I feel so conflicted about... about his death."

He turned in towards her, looking out the window as he spoke.

"One moment, he'd beat the hell outta me because his drunkenness demanded it. The other... he would teach me about life, and tell me things that, to this day, I can't help but remember, and... _and live by_. After all, _'Drunken minds speak sober hearts', _Right? Pfft..."

The expression was strange. The words themselves made sense, but they were decidedly less poetic in Japanese than they were in his own language.

"Mind that drunken... speak a calm mind?"

He looked down at her, giving a bit of a laugh before explaining.

"It's an English expression. It means, that... well, even if it sucks, or it's unpleasant to hear, the words a drunk man speaks are true, or at least, meaningful. Like, you can't really take what they say lightly. I guess it comes from the fact that Alcohol removes your inhibitions, apparently. It's hard to lie about something when you're drunk. And... well... _he was always drunk._"

She couldn't move, on account of her knee, but when she stuck her hand out and reached for him, he shuffled more to the centre, allowing her to take his arm.

"What... what did... what did he say?"

He scoffed lightly, almost looking like he was reminiscing about something. He looked back out the window, and spoke in a quiet tone.

"Him? Oh, he spoke _all kinds_ of bullshit. One minute he would... sing a stupid country song about 'running that by me again'. The next, he would... he would scream to his comrades, the brothers I never knew who died in a place I'd never been. Well, He had, of course. He was a veteran, you see. Little older than my mom. He was... he had grey hair when he died. Little weird, if you ask me. But _nobody _fucked with him. He didn't... he didn't get into bar fights, like the other angry old men did. But whenever... whenever he didn't like something he saw, he spoke about it. The strange thing? _That was enough._"

Emi decided that he liked these talks they had. Mikaru was almost an entirely different person when he opened up, and the man he was... he was a good man.

"They knew that he hit us. Nobody stopped him, though. I suppose... I suppose I'm not all that _sore _about getting beaten by him anymore. Some people, they... they put that pain on others, but... the only thing I'm mad about was that he put his problems on others, and... and it cost them their lives. I think... I think that's _not exactly what you were asking me, though..._"

She laughed, smiling up at him sweetly.

"No, but... I enjoyed that, anyway. It's... it makes me feel really happy, you know? I like seeing you like this."

He looked at her for a moment before smiling a little, deciding it was a good thing. He turned a little more inwards towards her, his right leg now completely up on the bed besides his foot.

"That's... that's... _good. I'm... I'm glad. _Anyway, the chivalry thing -"

The conversation went on naturally from there, laughing softly and sharing their experiences about their fathers. Emi wasn't too comfortable with talking about him, but she figured that if _Mikaru _could talk about _his _father, than she owed it to him, her father, and _herself _to share as well. An hour passed this way before they were interrupted by a knocking at the door. Mikaru stood up and went to the door, seeing Rin on the other side. He smiled a bit.

"Hey Rin. Step inside."

She looked up at him funny before walking in, looking around before seeing her friend. She paused, looking her over, before looking back at the boy and talking.

"So."

"... So."

"... I don't know. I never know when people say that. I suppose it's why they say it. Do _you _know?"

"... I don't think it's one of those things you're supposed to really have an answer to, Rin. I mean, didn't you have something on your mind _before _you started talking?"

"... I think so, but I forgot when you spoke. Strange. Hn..."

Rin abruptly turned away, spinning around a bit. Her arms spun outwards a little, kind of like a rag doll. After making a few passes, she rested her gaze on the injured girl again, and spun back to Mikaru.

"- So."

Mikaru didn't speak then.

"You hurt Emi?"

Mikaru paused at that, considering her words.

"... Is it bad of me to say that I'm not sure?"

Rin paused herself, assuming much the same position that Mikaru had. It was actually kind of funny how alike they could be, when they were together at least.

"I don't... you're good at this, _biggun. Oh, right, _I was talking. I don't think so. I mean, I think I know what you're saying, at least. Is it like how the colours fight each other?"

Mikaru grinned, nodding.

"- I think that's a good way about looking at it, Rin. Sometimes colours don't really mix, even though they belong in the same space together."

She smiled a bit, thoroughly and happily surprised that someone _understood her _for once.

"... Oh. _You need to talk more_. Emi -"

At that, she spun on one heel, now facing the girl on the bed. Her face was scrunched up like she wanted to talk, but nothing came out.

"... Yes? - Rin?"

Rin looked like she had an epiphany, but lost it. She almost looked like she had it again, but huffed, her shoulders stiffening.

"- Hn. _I don't know how I feel about that_. Ok, I think I'm satisfied now."

She walked over to the door, her foot coming up at a strange angle, moving the handle before she hopped backwards, quickly but awkwardly making it out of the room.

It was much quieter after that.

* * *

><p><em>THUMP THUMP.<em>

Mikaru got up, walking over to the door. With a little effort he opened it.

"- Hey, Rin."

"Hey. Misha said that 'She doesn't hear any talking in here.'"

"... Rin. You don't really care."

"... _Good point_."

She walked away, and Mikaru closed the door. Sometimes, he wondered if he would _ever_ reallyunderstand that girl.

* * *

><p>Hisao was bored.<p>

He had decided that morning that an extra run wasn't for him, but he had expected that Mikaru would be back by now. The fact that he wasn't was... unsettling to say the least, but he knew that his friend could take care of himself, in any case. Unless, of course, he had to eat something. But, Emi should be with him, so that wasn't really a problem.

He rolled over in his bed, deciding that throwing a pen in the air wasn't as fun as it used to be. So, he got out of his bed, straightened up the sheets a little and left. He walked away, and was about to go outside, but Kenji met him in the hallway.

"Hey, Hisao. We gotta talk."

Hisao sighed, not at all relishing the idea of another conversation with Kenji, but didn't want to seem rude either.

"Ok, Kenji. I'll bite. What's on your mind?"

"It's your friend, the Mysterious Expanding Lump. I think he's taking this 'deep cover' thing a little too seriously."

Hisao balked at the idea of Kenji calling _anything_ too extreme, but didn't say a word.

"I've heard rumours that He and Ibarazaki are _dating_. DATING, HISAO! That's dangerous territory, dude. Emi is a _key player _in the feminist conspiracy. Did you hear what she did to her _last _boyfriend? _That poor soul... _he was never the same again."

Hisao found the boy's admission genuinely troubling. If _Kenji _was able to hear that Mikaru and Emi were dating, then so did _everyone else. _The thought seemed troublesome, since he was sure that Lilly thought that he was interested in Hanako. He wondered what such news would do to their group with a little more than concern. He didn't get to ponder it long, however.

"... That guy's pretty tough, but she is a _master _of manipulation. I nearly fell for her ruse myself once, dude. Not a good day."

Hisao thought about it some more, than shook the thought and remembered that, before he had to deal with anyone else, he had to deal with Kenji.

"... I don't know, Kenji. He _was _in prison. There's got to be _loads _of manipulative people there. I think we need to wait a bit before we get too worried about it. He's a little tougher than he sounds; maybe _he _has something up his sleeve as well. You know, an 'Ace in the Hole'."

Kenji paused, considering his friend's words carefully.

"... Good point, dude. I think I'm getting a little carried away. Oh, right, can I borrow 2000 yen?"

Hisao faceplamed, reaching for his wallet.

"... Again, Kenji? No, I don't wanna know. Here you go. This has to _stop_, though."

Kenji took the note from his friend, slipping it into his pocket before grinning.

"Thanks, dude. You're a life saver. Well, I'm out. See you around!"

He turned to his door, and walked in.

Hisao sighed openly, shoulders slumping, before giving a resolute nod and heading over to the girl's dormitories. He figured that now would be as good of a time as any to visit with Lilly, as well as take care of damage control.

* * *

><p>"... Hey, Mikaru? Why is food so important to you, even if you don't eat much?"<p>

Mikaru looked over to the girl on the bed, watching her as she ate her food. He stopped to consider it for a second, and Emi stopped too, sensing another story coming on.

"... Well, believe it or not, it doesn't actually have much to do with my stay in prison. Although, that's where _the habit_ came from, _the lesson_ came from somewhere else."

She watched the boy, now interested in what he had to say.

"... My Grandfather. My real one, mind you. He was my dad's dad. I... I loved him dearly. He died when I was younger, about half a year before the rest of my family did. He was... he was the only constant source of good in my life. His name was Michael as well. Funny. He... he was Polish. He lived in Poland during the beginning of World War 2."

She looked away from him, thinking back over her history and geography lessons before speaking.

"Wasn't Poland one of the first places to go?"

Mikaru nodded, looking out into the room again.

"... Yeah. They raided his bunker one day, took him for a POW. After a while, the Russians switched over to the Axis. However, they... they didn't release the prisoners like they were supposed to. Instead, they shipped him and his brothers up to Siberia, where they were forced to work and toil in the mines for two years. It was... horrible, he'd say. There was barely enough food for the soldiers, let alone the prisoners. They'd be lucky if Stale Bread was a regular occurrence. Many of them got sick and died."

Emi frowned, visibly saddened at the prospect of people living in such conditions.

"... The soldiers weren't much better off than the prisoners, really. In Russia, they didn't kick you out of the military during war time if you fucked up. No, if you messed up, they shipped your ass to Siberia, as means of corporal punishment. But, in a way, My grandfather was a ray of light to all of them."

She turned in his direction, managing to sit perpendicular to her bed. Mikaru slid back onto the bed as well. He was about to speak again, but Emi got a phone call.

"One sec, Mikaru... _Ibarazaki._"

"_... Hey Emi. How are you? Is Mikaru around?"_

She laughed a little, looking down at her knee, before wincing and speaking.

"_Ah..._ Yeah he's here. I'm not doing too good, though. Messed up my knee on the track today. Mikaru's been keeping me company all day, seeing as it was his fault and all..."

She looked up at him, but grinned cheekily despite her words. Mikaru chuckled a little, and Hisao spoke.

"_Oh, wow, that sucks. It must have been pretty bad, if it knocked you off your... well, your feet... Heh. I'm actually just on my way to the dorms myself."_

Emi sat up a little straighter at the news.

"Oh, Really? That doesn't much seem like your thing. I thought you'd be out today."

"_Heh, no, there's too much to do today. Damage control, and all..."_

Emi stiffened.

"... Damage control?"

Hisao paused on the other end, before speaking a little quietly.

"_Yeah, it seems like that's what I'm up to today. I don't know what you two did, but you're on the wall now. I mean, It's not necessarily a bad thing, but are you two even sure of this yourself?"_

Emi paused, frowning. As much as they had done, and as much progress they had made, _they hadn't _actually had _that talk _yet. It bothered her to think that she didn't know where she stood with the boy. Something just didn't really sit that well with her about it all.

"I... I don't really know. I mean, we're in a relationship, but what exactly that relationship is, I'm... well, I'm not sure. I... I think I have to call you back, Hisao. Can you... can you stop by and see us when you have a chance? It sounds like you're a pretty good go – to for all this."

"_Sure. I'm headed by there anyway. Later, you two."_

Hisao hung up the phone, and Emi put it down, closing her eyes and sighing.

"... Mikaru, I don't think this can wait any longer."

She turned to him, a soft almost pleading look in her eyes, before talking again.

"Just... Just what am I to you? _What are we?_"

Mikaru looked down, thinking.

"I... I can't say I'm too sure. Does it... does it have to have a Label, though?"

She stiffened at his words, but he didn't notice. He spoke on.

"I mean... this is all pretty new to me. I want to be with you, but... shouldn't that be enough?"

She frowned again, crossing her arms.

"... I think it's not. I don't want to be _the girl you fool around with. _I want _more _than that. Is it – Is it too much to ask for you to take this a little more seriously?"

"- What about you, though? Are _you _ready to put a label on this yet? It hasn't been all that long. What if... what if..."

"... we're making a mistake? Is that it? 'What if Mikaru is making a mistake, trying to be Ibarazaki's boyfriend?'? _I don't _think it's a mistake, Mikaru. It bothers me that _you do._ Haven't we said enough yet? _Why are you making this so hard?_"

Mikaru looked up at her, responding immediately.

"I'm making this hard because _I have to. _I _have _to be sure. More than that though, _you _have to be sure. It's pretty easy to forget while I'm talking to you like a friend that _I'm an ex-convict. _This _isn't _a game to me. _This is dangerous._"

She stared at him, a little shocked. She hadn't really taken the time to consider that angle. She knew that she trusted him, but that doesn't mean that _others _would as well. Even if he was a good person, he had a record, and it _wasn't_ one that made a relationship an _easy thing_ to have. However, if she was sure of _one thing, _it was that she had worked _too damn hard _to let this go on.

"So? _Damn the others, _Mikaru. _I don't care that you have a record. _You've done nothing but be _considerate of others_ the whole time you've been out. _Isn't it time that you consider what YOU want for a change?_"

He snapped his eyes up to her, shocked and impressed at her outburst.

"I _want _this, Mikaru. I've seen the man you are, and it's enough for me. It should be enough for you as well."

Mikaru looked at her for a minute, then looked back at his knees.

"... Why do you feel so strongly about this? I don't... I don't understand..."

"- _Just shut up and kiss your girlfriend,_ dammit!"

Mikaru looked at her, hard. After a moment, he practically lunged at her, giving her a searing hot kiss. She kissed him back, just as hard. This lasted for well over a minute before they parted, his face still close. His breath smelled really good, like spearmint and something else; something distinctly masculine. It made her a little lightheaded.

"... wow..."

Her face lit up at the dazzlingly passionate display, and his did too.

"... Wow."

Emi started to giggle, and before long Mikaru fount himself chuckling along with her.

"... Can we... can you kiss me like that again?"

His smile widened a little, before he leaned in. Just as his lips grazed over hers, they heard something.

_KNOCKKNOCKKNOCKKNOCK -_

Mikaru and Emi practically leaped out of their skin, fumbling around before finding a not – so – comfortable span of a meter to sit from each other.

"It's open!"

Emi was blushing like mad, and Mikaru had his arms over his face. Because of his lack of hands, it acted more as a screen that the full – coverage he was looking for. He pulled his arms away just as the door opened, and Emi watched with something akin to jealousy as his face instantly settled into a mask of pure disinterest. One of these days, he was _teaching that _to her, _logic be damned. _

"Hey guys, I'm – uh, Emi, are you all right? You look a little flush. Do you have a fever or something?"

Hisao stood with the door open behind him, looking between the two teenagers with a bit of worry. Before he could jump to any conclusions however, Mikaru spoke with a serious voice.

"Oh, Hey Hisao. It's just the pain meds she's on; They seem to have given her something of a fever, but we can't medicate for it because of one of the active ingredients in the killers."

Emi looked over at the boy, amazed at his mental fortitude and quick wits. When she thought about it, the medicine _had _given her a fever, and she hadn't noticed it enough at the time to ask for more meds. She noted with a little more jealousy and wonder that Mikaru was a master at misinformation, even if he didn't lie while he did it.

"Oh, that makes sense. Jeez, I don't know _what _we would do if you weren't looking out for us all the time. Can I come in now?"

Mikaru looked over at the girl, giving her the cue to speak.

"Oh, uh... sure, Hisao. Come on in."

Hisao grinned a little, looking back and forth between the two with a little suspicion as he grabbed her wheelchair and sat down. He was rolling back and forth a little, much to Emi's displeasure, but she didn't say anything about it.

"So... What's up? Have you two... are you... you know, dating?"

Mikaru looked over at the girl, and smiled tenderly before speaking.

"... Yes. I think we are."

Hisao looked pleased at his friend, and put his arms behind his head, choosing to relax.

"That's good. It will certainly make things easier going ahead. With that in mind, how are things between you two? You look happy together."

Emi blushed a little, before she looked at Hisao and nodded.

"They're... well, they're good. It's been a little weird, but... I think that we can make this work."

Hisao nodded, looking out the window at the trees in the distance.

"Yeah? If you're sure... Well, I guess you two want to know what's going on out there. To be honest, it's... well, it's a hot mess out there. Something about a dramatic entrance, a damsel in distress and a dashing prince, a not – so – princely outburst, and a day spent in romantic solitude. It's... oddly fitting, really."

He laughed at his words, and Mikaru chose to blush this time.

"... Yeah, that... that sounds like Misha's doing, all right. I suppose I deserved it, really. I can't really bring myself to be all that mad about it, though. You know how it is."

Hisao chuckled, and Emi looked at him to see what he had to say.

"... yeah. I spoke with Lilly today, just before I came here. She was, obviously, a little confused, but she was happy about it."

That was a lie. Lilly did _not _seem happy about it at all, but he still needed time to get her calmed down, and Hanako _still _didn't know, so he let it go. Mikaru didn't say anything to that. Emi, however, looked a little more than relieved at the news.

"Gosh, that's a load off my shoulders. Mikaru was worried about that, too. It's good that your friends are ok with this, right Mikaru?"

He looked at her, watching as she looked at him back expectantly. Thinking for a moment, he put on a smile, and spoke reassuringly.

"... Yeah, it is. I care a lot about my friends. It means a lot to me that they're so understanding of my... well, my situation."

Hisao frowned at that, but Emi was too busy being happy to notice or even care. Hisao looked at Mikaru. Mikaru looked at him, and the look in his eyes was nothing short of stony.

"... So, Hisao. Are you going to go back over there? I'm sure you have better things to do than play third wheel to _this _hotness."

There was a bit of mirth in his voice, but the look in Mikaru's eyes spoke something else entirely.

_Fix this, Hisao. Now. _

Hisao blanched a little, looking over to the side before speaking abashedly.

"Oh, well, uh... Yeah, I guess so. I mean, Lilly was a little sad that I had to go so soon. I think she likes me. I'm, uh... I'm going to go take care of that."

With that, he wheeled the chair back into it's dusty corner, stood up, and left abruptly. Emi was looking over at her closet happily, humming a little tune to herself absentmindedly. Mikaru just sat there for a moment, staring at the door as it inched closed. A click was heard, and he felt a pat on his shoulder. Turning to his girlfriend, he smiled, waiting for her to speak.

"Mikaru? Next Wednesday, do you want to go on a picnic with me and Rin? We're heading down to that park you wanted to go to by the Shanghai."

Mikaru nodded, watching the girl as she happily buzzed around a bit, doing a tiny squeal, before throwing her arms around his neck.

"Yay! This is _so _exciting!_ I can't wait_ to get back onto my feet again!"

He smiled, looking off into the distance before he found a frown settling on his face.

A rift was forming in his life, and for once, he didn't know what to do about it.

* * *

><p>End of Chapter Nineteen, Labels and Growing Rifts!<p>

Next Time! Chapter Twenty: Behind These Bars, Seeing is Believing!


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter Twenty: Behind These Bars, Seeing is Believing!**

* * *

><p>I <em>can't believe <em>that man! If I could see, I'm almost _certain_ I would be seeing red. Couldn't he _see_ that Hanako _cared for him? _To think that _I'm _the blind one here...

I hear a lot of things. Having been sightless my whole life, my ears are very important to me, and I've become very good at listening to my surroundings. So, it worried me when I heard Hanako crying the night of the festival. However, Hanako cries most nights, so I didn't think much of it. When I heard that commotion about how he had sex with Ibarazaki, however, I had never felt so foolish in my life.

_Of course _Hanako had to reach out to him. _Of course _he had to lead her on like that. I mean, it was stupid of me to believe that crap about him being a good person. He was a _criminal, _for god's sakes. Well, _far be it from me _to be a good judge of character. I mean -

"_Hey, Lilly? It's Hisao again. Can I come in?"_

I cut my chain of thought loose, and stilled my mind. Taking a deep breath, I put my smile on my face and spoke.

"Oh, Hisao? Why, of course. It's open for you."

_Clack – clack – click. Screech. _

"_Hey, Lilly. How are you?"_

The noise is to my right. He stepped in faster this time than the others.

_... click._

He held the door as it closed. Like he didn't want it to make sound. Strange...

_Brrm. Brrm. Brrm. Brrm. Brrm... _

His clothing rustled as he sat. He was wearing jeans today. His arms didn't make much noise. He's not wearing a sweater? Strange.

"_So, did you hear about this mess with Mikaru and Emi?"_

I wanted to shout at that. How could he be so nonchalant about it all? Did he even _know _what happened? Sometimes, I can't _believe _men...

"... No, I can't say that I have. Are he and Ibarazaki involved in some way?"

The rustling stopped. I must have sounded angry. Damn.

"_... well, yeah. They're dating. It's pretty new, though, so they're taking it slow."_

Is _that _what they're calling it these days? 'Taking it slow'... I don't think I want to hear much more about this.

"_... Lilly? Lilly, are you ok?"_

I raised my hand to my mouth, clearing my throat before talking.

"... I'm fine. I'm sorry, Hisao, but I seem to be coming down with something. Do you think that you -"

"_... It's about Hanako, isn't it?"_

I froze. Maybe I underestimated Hisao.

"_... Mikaru is worried, you know. He won't admit it, but he's scared of losing you guys. I think that you have it in your head that he's a bad person. He isn't though. This is new to him. He didn't get the chance to learn about these things while he was in prison."_

"- So, sleeping with the first person that opens her legs is his way of receiving _sexual education? _Is _that _it?"

Hisao's clothing ruffled again. He didn't speak as soon as he should have though. He's... _surprised? Shocked? _Maybe I should have investigated a little...

"_L – Lilly, that's... That's awful! How could you say that? He's a person too, you know. Since when does he strike you as the kind of person to rush into things blindly?"_

I paused to consider that. He spent _five years _paying for rushing in blindly. Now that I thought about it, it _really _didn't seem like the kind of thing a smart person would do, and Mikaru was no fool if her research said anything...

"_... it's about this morning, isn't it? You were listening to Misha's conversation."_

It wasn't a question. I felt myself shrink down into myself, withering at the feeling of Hisao's eyes bearing into me. This was _not _how I envisioned this conversation going.

"_... your door is pretty far from the end of the hall. Emi got hurt on the track today. She was put back in the wheelchair."_

I snapped my head in his direction, frowning. _Emi in a wheelchair? It's been so long since she's had to use one..._

"_Mikaru was down with her at the track when it happened. She got cut up pretty bad, and messed up her knee as well. Apparently, they were having a race. Turns out, Mikaru is a proud victor of the Hyakunin Kumite, and was holding out on us."_

I only knew _two people_ who had completed the gauntlet. Most weren't even so lucky. _Not just anyone _can compete either. Special invitation only.

"_... He was carrying her to her room when Misha ambushed him in the hall. She was teasing them. And then she called him a liar."_

That girl did _what? _It sounds like Mikaru had a different day than I had expected...

"_So, he stormed off. Locked himself in Emi's room. He hasn't been able to leave all day. I stopped by after I had visited you the first time. He and Emi had been throwing the idea around of becoming a couple, but were only just then deciding to make it official. He didn't say anything, but he was concerned about how people would react to his record."_

Well, _now I just feel stupid. Thank you, _universe. _Much too kind._

"_... and then you confirm his fears. I... I thought better of you, Lilly. I never thought that you could have so little faith in a friend like that. Hasn't he done enough to deserve a little happiness? Hasn't he given enough to deserve some unconditional friendship? - Actually, no, don't answer that. I think... I think I need to go cool off a bit."_

I panicked. _Hisao can't leave. He can't!_

I reached my hand out towards him. I felt his arm.

"Hisao, wait -"

He tugged it away. My hand stayed in the air.

"_Lilly, I... give me some time. I need to get away from all... this."_

The last word sounded bitter, like he didn't want to say it but couldn't keep it in his mouth either.

_BRRM BRRM BRRM BRRM – CLICKCLACK SCREE – BANG!_

_..._

_Tick... Tock... Tick... Tock...Tick..._

I raised my hand to my mouth, feeling tears fall out of my useless eyes. I let out a strangled sob, as my shoulders sunk down into my chest.

Why? _Why couldn't I have just trusted him?_

I sat there, holding my knees to my chest, crying. 163 seconds later, I heard a slight muffled bang on my door.

"Hisao?! Is that you?"

I snapped my head towards the noise, listening expectantly to it's source. Four seconds later, I heard a voice.

"_It's, uh... it's me."_

The voice was a smooth, deep baritone. Mikaru.

"... _Can I come in?"_

I thought about it for a few seconds, clearing the tears from my eyes before speaking. It sounded pathetic.

"Can you... can you get the door on your own?"

I heard the door open and close. Mikaru, despite his size, barely made a sound as he walked. If not for my listening skills, I wouldn't be able to hear a thing. I heard him as he stood beside me, before his clothing swished against itself, and then his voice was soft, about two feet from my ear.

"_I... I heard the noise. Are you... are you ok?"_

I turned my head to him, my arms coming down to my sides. I worked my jaw a bit, uselessly, before I flung myself towards him, wrapping my arms around his shoulders and crying again.

"I've... I've done something _horrible!_"

He raised his arms, making mine go around his neck, and then I felt his arms come down on my back, stroking me a little.

"_Hey, it's... it's ok. Shhh... Here, do you wanna talk about it?"_

My head stayed turned to the left, pressed against his hard chest, and I cried a little harder, trying to speak through my sobs. _Definitely pathetic. _

"I... I... _I'm sorry! _I didn't trust you! I thought that you were trying to – trying to use us, and – and I _insulted you!_ I don't deserve... _I don't deserve this!_"

I tried to pull away from him, but his grip tightened a little more.

"_No, this is.. this is my fault. I've... I haven't been all that open with you guys, and it... it caused this. You've already apologized anyway. So don't apologize for this. You got that?"_

I managed to pull away from him this time, turning my head up the slightest bit. He put his stub under my chin, adjusting my head so it properly faced his. I opened my eyes, and held them completely straight. At that moment, I wished for _nothing more _than to be able to _see_ the eyes that held mine. If I could, then maybe this wouldn't have happened. I felt a few tears fall down my face, but they were soundly wiped away by his arms.

"_... Lilly, you shouldn't cry about this. You made a mistake. It happens everyday. I know this isn't really about me, though. It isn't, really. I know that you're more concerned about Hisao. Hisao wouldn't want you to cry over him. If he went away, then it was a good thing. Can you tell me what he said?"_

I calmed down a little, turning my head down before speaking.

"He said – he said that he needed – to go cool – cool off, a bit..."

"_... There. See? No problem. Hisao didn't want to be mad at you, or for you to be mad at him, so he went and gave it some time. There's nothing wrong with that, right? He'll come around. And you can apologize to him until your throat runs dry. Although... I don't suspect that he'll let you anyway. We're the same like that."_

I smiled at his reassuring words.

"R – really? You think that – that I can make this better?"

"_Of course. He'll be around in a bit. I suspect he'll have a LOT to tell you."_

I heard the smile in his words, and I couldn't help but smile back. My stomach was doing flip – flops right now, and I _knew _that it was going to be okay.

"_... In fact, I'm going to go get him. You just sit tight, ok? He'll be here."_

There was something in his voice there. It was... conspiratorial? The thought made me blush, but I nodded at him, still not quite ready to talk on account of my crying.

I heard him get up, then I heard his foot falls as he confidently strode towards the door and out of my room.

* * *

><p>I haven't moved from this spot. It's been fifteen minutes, and I'm starting to get a little anxious. Mikaru sounded so sure, though, that I decided to wait a little longer. After another five minutes, I started to lose hope. I felt tears coming to my eyes again, and held my knees. <em>He's... he's not coming...<em>

Just then, I heard my door open. I snapped my head up at the intrusion.

"Hi – _Hisao?_"

"_Lilly."_

Before I knew what was happening, I felt him wrap his arms around me, and I could do little more than hold his shoulders as he held me. I felt myself shudder at my tears, and it caused him to pull away. I started talking then.

"Hisao, I'm – I'm so – MMMF!"

Before I could finish my sentence, I felt his arms scoop me into him, and his soft lips press on mine. I gasped, a little taken aback, before I was overcome with emotion, and wrapped my arms around his neck I fervently kissed him back as my heart made to leap out of my chest. The kiss was more than I had ever expected it would be, and it was both frightening and exciting at the same time. I wanted it to last _so much _longer than it did, but before I knew it, it was over. I gasped, breathing deeply as I spoke.

"_Hi – Hisao..."_

I felt his finger press against my lips, and his thumb tucked it's self tenderly underneath my chin. He held it in place, and he spoke.

"_I know, Lilly."_

He kissed me again, and I eagerly met him this time. This one was just as passionate as the first, but now that I was expecting it, if felt _so _much better. After a short time, I felt my pulse start to quicken, and I picked myself up a little, moving my legs to straddle his. He was on his knees, and the position made me feel very excited. I held his face and pulled away, hearing a little _smack_ as our lips parted. The sound made me blush, and I heard him chuckle airily.

"_... Lilly... I'm sorry about storming out on you."_

I smiled, opening my eyes for him.

"... I'm sorry as well, Hisao. I... I won't do that again."

His hands came to my face, and I felt my breath quicken.

"_... Good. Now... what about this? Is this something you'd like to do again?"_

There was a burning question in his voice; like he was begging a little. It made me giggle at the prospect of him begging for me. I made a decision.

"Yes, Hisao... If you'll have me..."

His breath started coming a little faster, and I put my hands on his chest. Feeling his frantic heartbeat was nothing short of a mood – killer, and it caused me to frown.

"Calm down, Hisao. I don't want to lose this just yet."

He chuckled, gasping a little, and I felt a smile touch my face again as his heart rate went back to normal.

"_S – sorry about that... Jeez, this is going to be tough..."_

I raised my eyebrow at him in question, my eyes still open. I was going to frown, but he spoke, causing me to die a little on the inside from happiness.

"_... Be Still, Mine Beating Heart, for thou hast touched beauty that nary can compare..."_

I giggled at the cheesiness of the words, but the smile that came onto my face was likely the largest I'd ever had. His words were apparently cheesy to him as well, because he laughed a full laugh, not quite a bellow but filled with just as much mirth.

"_... Kami, I knew that was stupid, but... "_

I laughed, kissing him on (what I hoped was) his cheek before speaking.

"No, Hisao. It was... it was very sweet of you. And fitting. Did... did Mikaru put you up to it?"

I heard him awkwardly chuckle, enjoying the feeling of his laughter against my hands.

"_... sort of. It was my idea at first, but... it took me a while to build the context. That, and he told me that -"_

I didn't let him finish as I moved my hands to his face, my thumbs brushing the corners of his lips before I kissed him soundly. I felt him moan into the kiss, and the sensation made me moan myself. After the kiss ended, he turned me around, holding me in his arms from behind. I sat nestled on his lap on the ground, and I brought my hands up to stroke his shirt. It was silk.

"Silk? This is a nice shirt, Hisao. A little... _too nice..._"

I turned my head towards him, and I heard him chuckle a bit before he spoke softly into my ear.

"_Alright, you got me. I was planning something."_

I turned a little in his lap, hearing the rustle of my night clothing against his jeans. I blushed a little, but didn't make a move to get up.

"_So... What exactly are you going to do to me?"_

I smiled, this one being one of my... not – so – chaste ones. I felt his breath hitch a little.

"Me? Oh, why nothing of course. _Not today, _at least."

He laughed again, pulling me closer to his chest. It was a rocky start, but the prize...

It was well worth the wait.

* * *

><p>**Meanwhile, in Emi's room...**<p>

"So what was _that_ all about? Is everything okay?"

Mikaru looked over at his girlfriend, who had managed to grab a magazine while he was away. Mikaru sat down beside her on the bed, casting a glance over it's contents before deciding that it wasn't interesting, and started.

"Oh, Hisao and Lilly got into a fight."

Emi dropped her magazine and turned to him.

"WHAT! Oh, that's awful! What happened?"

Mikaru looked at her, speaking.

"Hisao was a little too sensitive, and stormed out. Lilly started crying, so I told her that he wasn't mad, and then I... convinced... Hisao to go in there and make her feel better."

"- How'd you do that?"

Mikaru chuckled a bit, looking away before talking through his laughter.

"Me? Oh, _I punched the shit out of him. _After that, I told him to 'Get his balls outta his ass, walk in there, and kiss the shit outta' her until it was better.'"

She gawked at him.

"Did it _work? _She would _never _go for that!"

Mikaru paused, turning his ear to listen in their direction. He waited a moment, before a smile broke onto his lips.

"Oh, but _you're wrong. _Hisao went in, but never left. _I don't hear any talking over there, _either, _if you know what I mean..._"

Emi didn't pause.

"- And you're sure he isn't _dead?! _His heart couldn't -"

He laughed, raising his arm at her.

"- Oh, Hisao's alive. I mean, this is _Satou Lilly _we're talking about here. There's _no way in hell _a little _heart attack _would stop him from kissing that girl. And, If my ears don't deceive me..."

He listened a little harder, Emi turning his way a little too eagerly await the rest of his sentence.

"... Oh, they are _definitely _kissing over there. _Like, HARD CORE. _She's a moaner, that one..."

She slapped him on the arm, blushing furiously.

"Dammit, Mikaru! Stop that! Give them some privacy, you freakazoid!"

He chuckled, flinching a little as she hit him a couple more times, for good measure of course. When she was done, she giggled in spite of her feelings, and soon they were both laughing.

* * *

><p>*Back with Lilly...*<p>

Hearing a faint laughter after catching the barest snippets of their conversation, I blushed, pushing Hisao off of me abruptly.

"_... Lilly? Is everything ok? Did I... did I do something wrong?"_

I was so embarrassed. However, I couldn't actually be sure if he had _heard us, _since it was too far away to tell. I blushed some more, feeling Hisao start to pull away. I grabbed his arms, pulling him back on top of me, and I moved my hands to his face.

"It's... it's nothing. I though I heard something, but it was... it was just my imagination."

I heard laughter after a moment, deciding that it definitely _wasn't _my imagination, and that _I didn't give a damn._

"Hisao... are we... what are we?"

Hisao barely paused, speaking in a strong, confident voice.

"_Well, I'd like to be able to say that we're a couple, but I guess that's all up to you. I don't really want this to be a one – time thing, you know?"_

I smiled at his statement, kissing him briefly and pulling away.

"I... I don't want this to be a one – time thing either..."

With my hands on his face, I felt as his smile widened, and I pulled him back to me.

_Me and Hisao... I like the sound of that..._

I smiled through the kiss. This was right. This was how it was supposed to be.

* * *

><p><em>THUMPTHUMPTHUMP <em>"Hisao?"

_THUMPTHUMPTHUMP _"Hisao?"

_THUMPTHUMPTHUMP _"Hisao?"

_THUMPTHUMPTHUMP _"Hisao?"

_THUMPTHUMPTHUMP _"Hisao?"

_THUMPTHUMP - _

Hisao opened the door, looking a little irritated as Mikaru checked him out, letting a low whistle fly through his lips.

"_Holy shit, Hisao. _I didn't think you had it in you."

"- And _I _didn't know you could _whistle_, asshole. What do you want?"

Mikaru looked a little more taken aback by his comment than he liked. Hisao crossed his arms, his face softening.

"- Sorry about that. What's up?"

Mikaru shook his head, looking back at Hisao with something close to mirthful regret in his eyes.

"I, uh, I hate to do this to you, but, uh... it's curfew."

Hisao looked back at Lilly, who had the covers pulled over her a little on her bed shyly. She was blushing like mad, and he thought that she looked _kissable as hell _like that, much to his dismay.

"Oh, shit. That... that sucks... Oh well. I'll, uh... _close the door._ I'll be out in a minute."

He turned away, noting with some happiness that the door did, indeed, close. Lilly looked even more embarrassed.

"Hi – Hisao, what are you doing? It's – it's _curfew, and -_"

He kissed her, noting with satisfaction that her arms immediately went around his neck. As he kissed her, he managed to lay her down, before he broke the kiss.

"I was just making sure this wasn't a dream, is all. I'll see you tomorrow, ok? Goodnight, Lilly."

She smiled at him, her blush remaining on her face before she nodded.

"Good... _good night, Hisao._"

He smiled, stroking her face before turning away abruptly, willing himself out of the room. He closed the door behind him, closing his eyes and sighing sharply. He turned slowly to the wall, where Mikaru looked at him with an _annoying _look of satisfaction on his face.

"Where's my 'Thank you, Senpai!', lover fish? _You know _this was my doing."

Hisao punched him in the arm, managing to rock the giant a little, before turning away and walking.

"Screw you, Mikaru. My face _still _hurts, you know. If I have a concussion because of your sorry ass, then _I will _be sending you the bill."

Mikaru laughed, catching up to his friend.

"Oh, I didn't expect anything less, my friend. Seriously, though. You look... well, you look a little torn up, to be honest. If I had hands, I'd go steal a mirror and show you."

Hisao paused in place, looking himself over. His clothing was ruffled and loose, and his silk shirt looked like he had been attacked by a baby puma. He started blushing a bit, before he turned back to his friend.

"Oh my god, man. You're totally right. I look like... like I'm on a walk of shame!"

Mikaru laughed, and kept walking.

"Nothing wrong with _that_, Hisao. You're growing up, now. Nut up, man. This is _your night. _Enjoy it."

Hisao shook his head, matching his friend's leisurely pace. He looked around, noting with a touch of embarrassment that some of the doors had been opened, and now _he _was the center of attention.

"Dude... oh fuck. They're looking at me. Mikaru? _Mikaru, dammit, what do I do?_"

Mikaru chuckled, looking back at his flustered friend.

"Why, you _enjoy it, _of course. It's not _everyday _that -"

He froze, stopping in place. Hisao noticed immediately. He turned to his friend, who looked like he was conflicted on crying, screaming, running away, and curling up into a ball. He looked around, trying desperately to find out the source of his friends distress. When that didn't work, he started listening, trying to find something abnormal, something that could cause his friend's sudden panic.

All around him, there was whispered murmuring. That wasn't anything new, so he wrote it off. Listening a little harder, he noted that a couple of girls were laughing at a movie together. There were a lot of strange sounds, and Hisao noted that it sounded like an American Cartoon show. He couldn't really identify anything else, so he just settled for closing his hands around his friends ears, and using his body to shove him down the hall. He made it three steps before Mikaru's arms came up, batting his away.

"No... I... I have to... to face this... Hisao..."

He turned around, walking back down the hall a few paces before stopping at one door. When Hisao approached it, he noted that it sounded like the occupants were listening to something. A song, or an orchestra or something. Slowly, Mikaru's arm came up, lightly wrapping on the door. The song paused inside, and a few footsteps were heard before the door swung open, and Mikki watched them curiously.

"Uh... Hi, guys. What's... what's up. Mikaru? Are you ok, dude?"

Mikaru just gulped a bit, shaking his head before he spoke. His voice sounded eerily quiet, like he had just seen the most terrifying thing in his life, but the words seemed to ring loud in the air.

"What... what were you... listening.. to?"

Mikki raised an eyebrow at him, curiously, looking concerned but speaking slowly.

"It's... it's this song that... that was written by... a child prodigy... a few years back. Canadian kid. Why?"

Mikaru looked past her, watching the computer screen. He saw the orchestra, laid out just like he had remembered it on that day, but the other two people with him had no idea what he was thinking. Slowly, Mikaru looked back to Mikki, clearing his voice a bit before speaking.

"You... do you... like it?"

She looked at him strangely before answering a little quietly.

"Yeah, I... I do. Hey, it's kinda late, and I'm pretty tired. Can I... can we..."

Mikaru nodded a bit, stepping back, and she closed the door slowly. At that, Mikaru turned on his heel and walked very quickly towards the stairs. Hisao chased after him.

* * *

><p>"Dammit Mikaru, <em>stop!<em>"

Hisao doubled over, taking loud gasping breaths, and Mikaru stood where he was, looking every bit like a lost child. Hisao mustered up a burst of strength and made his way over to his friend.

"What... The... _What the hell was that?_"

Mikaru turned around slowly, walking past him to a tree and sitting against it weakly. His friend followed him over, not even bothering to sit.

"It... was... _it was me._"

Hisao's retort died in his throat. He didn't really know what to say.

"W – What?"

Mikaru looked through Hisao's knees, staring off into nothing.

"It... It was me, Hisao. That little boy. _That was my song. _I was there. _I wrote that._"

Hisao sat down in front of him. He didn't know how to process this new information, but it _certainly _explained his absurd behavior.

"... I'm afraid I don't follow. Since when are you a childhood prodig -"

Hisao looked at his friend, his words dying in his throat. He was missing his hands. He was also missing his happiness. _Those bastards took his music away. Those bastards!_

"_It's... it's okay, Hisao. I... I should have... I should have said something sooner..."_

His friend looked absolutely heartbroken. It made him feel sick to see the once – invincible looking boy look so weak and helpless. Hisao decided that this wouldn't do. Plan B: The Pep - Talk.

"Ok, man, _nut the fuck up. _This is pathetic."

He slapped his friend across the face, getting his attention. It seemed to have a small effect, so Hisao kept at it.

"_You look at me, bastard. I will NOT sit here and let my friend mope around at five – year old pains like that. I get it; the fuckers took your hands. That doesn't mean you just fucking GIVE UP!"_

Mikaru looked at him, fire in his eyes like he was about to explode with rage but Hisao didn't let him.

"Don't you _dare _start crying to me now about loss, you hear me? You've been fine up until now. You've proven, time and time again, that you are an emotionally – mature, grown – ass man, haven't you!? _Your music isn't gone,_ Mikaru! It's in your head, it's in your heart, and it's on your tongue. Sure, you can't pick up a guitar, or even play a piano, but you can hit things, can't you? Play the drums, or something. Get involved! Just _don't _keep beating yourself up over shit you can't change!"

Hisao had his hands clenched at his sides. His face was red from the exertion, and he fell back, feeling his heart murmur as his vision streaked red for a second. Through sheer willpower alone, he slowed his heard down, gasping and looking at his friend, his arm numb and his face sweaty.

"You... _you... got... this... _don't... you?"

Mikaru looked at his friend with respect and adoration. A smile grew on his face and he nodded.

"... You're... you're right. I was... I was so caught up in what I lost, I... I didn't stop to... listen to the music around me. I think... I think it's time I... I took my... my own advice."

He stood up abruptly, hopping in place a bit before turning on his heel and _punching the shit _out of the tree behind him. The force of the impact shook the ground, and the noise scared all the birds in the area out of their trees. A nest fell down and landed beside Hisao, and he looked up at his friend as he turned around. Mikaru bent down, his face red where he had been slapped, with a twinkle in his eye and a glint to his features that he had never seen before.

"... Get up, Hisao. We've got some major work to do. I don't want anyone's help but yours for this."

Hisao grabbed his arm weakly, letting him get pulled to his feet, before he felt himself get dusted off, and he winced at his chest.

"You need to go to the nurse first? I don't mind waiting. I've been waiting four years for this; a couple hours won't kill me."

Hisao smiled at his friend's utter _determination, _and stretched a bit before weakly speaking.

"... N – No, I think... I think I'll be... okay..."

Mikaru smiled, striding back towards the dorms.

"Good. You and I? We're making some phone calls. Tomorrow is going to get... _fun._"

* * *

><p>End of Chapter Twenty: Behind These Bars, Seeing is Believing!<p>

Next Time! Chapter Twenty – One, Behind These Bars, a Change in Tempo!


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter Twenty – One: Behind These Bars, a Change in Tempo!**

* * *

><p>Mikaru woke up with a start. He looked at the clock.<p>

06:13

... He was late. He looked around, noticing that Hisao was already gone. He sprung into action, getting his running clothing on and hopping out the window, landing in a tree that was right outside. He clung to it, letting himself slide down a bit before he dropped, catching another branch. After that, he let go again, falling nine feet and rolling at the bottom. He got to his feet and sprinted off towards the track, a spring in his step that surprised him.

When he got there, he noted with a bit of sadness that Emi was all alone, rolling back and forth with her head down. Jogging over, he stopped in front of her, hopping in place a bit.

"Hey, Emi, how did you sleep?"

She looked up at him, a little shocked. He looked good; not just physically, but mentally as well. It surprised her.

"M – Mikaru? Hey! I thought you were going to try and skip out on me..."

Mikaru laughed.

"Now, why would I go and do something stupid like _skip out _on my beautiful girlfriend? Come on; I've already stretched; How about I run us around the track a bit?"

She was baffled at the happy energy he was exuding. He seemed like an entirely different person today! After a moment, she blushed when she realized that he had complimented her.

"B – Beautiful? Where... _What did you do?_ Is... is something wrong?"

He laughed at her comment, kneeling down before kissing her passionately.

"No, I didn't mess up. I'm just... I'm changing it up a little. Come on, let's go!"

He spun around her, pinching his arms around the sides of the handles before taking off, making her scream and giggle. He turned sharply at the track, sliding over the gravel before getting up to a good pace. Even though she couldn't run herself, she couldn't deny that this still felt great, if not for different reasons. Mikaru seemed like he was really, truly happy today, and the thought of him being like this all the time made her heart flutter.

After a half an hour, Mikaru slowed to a walk, starting his cool down. After she caught her breath, she spoke to him as he walked.

"So... my knee was feeling better today..."

He chuckled, responding instantly.

"Really? That's good news. You'll probably be back on your feet in no time, at this rate."

She laughed a bit, putting the breaks on her chair before looking back at the boy. He walked in front of her, kneeling down so he was eye – to – eye with the girl.

"That's true, but... It's not _exactly _what I was _getting at..._"

She smiled at him, her eyes trying to get the boy to understand what she meant.

"Oh, so... You think that you're... _not hurt_? Is _that _what you're saying?"

She gave a shy nod, and he looked at her with a twinkle in his eye.

"Well... isn't _that _something... I may... _have to look into that myself. _Just to be sure, of course. I wouldn't want you to... _to sprain something else, by accident..._"

She chuckled, her eyes lighting up.

"Oh, you would help me with that? I'm flattered. I just... _I wouldn't want you to get the wrong idea, or anything... I mean, I think I have something else that needs looking at too..._"

He was about to say something, but he noticed something out of the corner of his eye and stood up abruptly.

"Hisao! Dammit, you're late!"

Hisao looked at his watch as he jogged over.

"You were too, ya big lug! It's your fault, anyway. Keeping me up to the crack of dawn..."

Emi looked up at him, her eyebrows rising. He looked down at her, and smiled.

"Oh, you don't know. Me and Hisao were making some phone calls last night. It's a surprise, though, so no interrogations!"

She balked at him, before she huffed a little, crossing her arms and pouting off to the side a bit.

"Emi... You know that_ the pout _doesn't work on me..."

She looked up at him, glaring.

"_Some boyfriend you are..."_

Hisao scratched the back of his head a bit.

"Uh... Should I... Should I come back later?"

Mikaru looked over at the boy, grinning.

"... Only if you can think of _some other _way of working up a sweat..."

Hisao blushed at his insinuation, running onto the track. Mikaru chuckled, running away from the boy.

"Dammit, Mikaru, _You'll pay for that!_"

Emi laughed at the boys, content to watch them as the sprinted after each other across the grass, eventually ignoring the track altogether for some good old – fashioned boyish roughhousing. She Smiled sweetly, though, as Mikaru pretended to stumble, allowing Hisao to catch up with him and whack him over the head a bit. It was so that Hisao didn't keel over from a heart attack, but the action was sweet nonetheless.

_Mikaru... he's so sweet. He's always patient with us. I've only seen him lose his temper once. He's... he's a really good person... _

She frowned as the boys resumed their chase, Hisao being the mouse this time to Mikaru's cat.

_It was easy to be with him when he was emotionally distant... can I... can I handle being near him when he's like this? _

Mikaru looked over at the girl in the wheelchair, smiling as he watched her roll back and forth absentmindedly. He turned to Hisao, who was still catching his breath, and patted him on the shoulder. He turned his head to Mikaru, and then looked where he was pointing. He looked back, and Mikaru spoke.

"Get the chair."

Hisao grinned, and followed him as he ran towards his girlfriend.

"Hey, Emi, how's your knee?"

She looked up at him, surprised at his closeness.

"Well, like I said, it wasn't a - WHAAAHAHAHAAA!"

She screamed in delight as he scooped her up, throwing her into the air a bit to get her onto his shoulders. Her hands flailed around a bit, but found purchase on his outstretched arms. She smiled as he started running back towards the buildings, now effectively nine feet tall.

"What – What are you doing! AHH! Hahahaha!"

She giggled with delight as he wove this way and that, spreading his arms a bit and making her feel like she was a kid again, playing airplane.

"You looked a little down in that chair, so I thought you needed a little... _pick – me up..._"

She laughed at his 'punny' remark, giggling madly as he ran.

Right now, sitting on his strong shoulders, she didn't have a care in the world.

_Is this... is this what love feels like?_

* * *

><p>Mikaru stepped into the classroom, surprising himself and the few others present that he was actually <em>early <em>for once. One of those people was Mikki, who looked up at him with a disbelieving look in her eyes. He frowned a bit, before he stepped up to her and spoke.

"... Hey, Mikki. I think... I think we need to..."

She nodded, cutting him off and stepping outside the classroom. The halls were still relatively empty, the final rush still not here yet, so it was considerably isolated.

"Hey, Mikaru. You look... good, today. Which... doesn't quite add up. What's... what's going on with you?"

He looked both ways, ensuring that nobody could overhear them, before he turned back and spoke.

"Yeah, about last night... I'm sorry for worrying you like that. It's just... I had a couple things that I was... that I was having trouble coping with from when before I was... well, before I was handicapped, and it... well, the song brought me back there."

She looked a little more concerned at his words, raising her hand to his shoulder.

"Ok, but are you good? You had me pretty worried last night. I thought that..."

He smiled at her, and she seemed to relax a little.

"It's uh... it's nothing I can't handle. Although, I have to admit, I... I didn't quite peg you for being the 'orchestral' kind of girl."

She blushed, punching on the arm, before looking back at him with a smile.

"Oh, shut up! It was just a little bit of homework I was doing, for my music class. I play percussion."

His eyebrows rose at this.

"Really? Are you guys going to play that piece?"

She seemed to turn into him a little, a little more interested in the conversation than she had been before.

"Well, _we're supposed to. _It's... it's really hard, actually. I... do you... _do you know a lot about music?_"

He stiffened, looking around again before closing his eyes, taking a deep breath and steeling himself. He looked up at the girl, who now looked concerned again.

"Yeah, you could... you could say that. I know... I know quite a bit, actually."

She looked down at his arms, and back up to his eyes. Realization came across them, and she seemed to shrink a little.

"Oh... I'm... _That really sucks..._"

He crossed his arms, giving her a sad smile.

"It's... it's a little bad, but... That's why I wanted to talk to you actually. I was hoping that you'd... that you'd let me swing by one day. I want... _I want it back, Mikki. _So, _so bad. _I know that we haven't really gotten to know each other much, but -"

She held her hand up, smiling a sweet, small smile at him.

"It's... it's ok. Mikaru. I... I'd be happy to."

His smile widened a bit, before he nodded resolutely and turned away.

"Just tell me when. I'll be there."

She watched his back as he turned the corner before sliding down the wall a bit.

_What is up with that guy? He's like... a puzzle box..._

She laughed a tiny bit to herself, before shaking her head and walking in after him. _This is going to be an interesting day..._

* * *

><p>Mikaru, Hanako, Lilly and Hisao sat in the tea room, quietly eating their food. Mikaru had brought his own today; applesauce, from a bottle. A little gross, but it beat starving.<p>

Hanako decided to talk then.

"H – Hello... Mikaru..."

Mikaru turned to the girl giving her a large smile. He spoke softly.

"Hi, Hanako. I'm glad you're feeling better today."

She smiled a bit, blushing as she looked down.

"Th – Thank you, Mikaru..."

He smiled, looking over to Lilly and Hisao. Hisao was watching Lilly eat, a soft look on his face. He decided to talk to the group about his recent encounter with Mikki.

"So, I spoke with Mikki about something today, and I figured... well, it was time to move on."

The three heads turned to him. Lilly and Hisao had questioning looks on their faces. Hanako looked surprised, and a little frightened.

"What do you mean by that, Mikaru? Are... Did you and..."

He laughed a bit, cutting the girl off.

"- No, Me and Emi are still together. It's actually got nothing to do with her. You see, I used to... I'm a musician."

The three were startled by his sudden admission. Hanako audibly gasped at the words.

"... Hisao and I were walking through the dormitories at curfew last night, and... well, I heard a song from my past that I was familiar with. After an awkward conversation, and a kick in the pants by Hisao... I figured it was time to get back on the horse, you know? So I spoke with her. Turns out, they're doing the song in their music class, and she invited me to swing by and listen sometime. So, I'm gonna... I'm gonna do it."

Hanako spoke then, surprising all of them. Her tone was excited and happy, and only the slightest bit shy.

"R – Really? That's... That's really good, Mikaru... I'm... I'm glad..."

He turned to the girl, smiling.

"Thanks, Hanako."

He turned back to the others, just in time for Lilly to speak.

"I agree with Hanako. It's good that you want to do this. However, are you sure it's... wise? What if... you aren't ready for it yet?"

Mikaru chuckled a bit, softly, before speaking.

"... No, Hisao's words were clear. It doesn't matter if I think I'm ready or not. I probably won't be. That's no excuse not to try, though, right? I... I've gotta do this. I can't possibly expect to... to move on if I don't. Maybe I still got it, after these years... that would be something, huh?"

Lilly smiled sweetly at his words.

"I hope... for what it's worth, I sincerely hope that you find it again. It... it would be good for you."

He smiled, before a knock at the door pulled them from their conversation. Hisao got up and went to the door, opening it up before turning back into the room.

"Mikaru... It's Mikki."

* * *

><p>Mikaru was scared. He couldn't imagine what he was going to feel when he got in there. Luckily for him, Mikki picked up on it, and stopped them when they arrived.<p>

"Hey, Mikaru? If you're not ready for this..."

"- No!"

She stopped, surprised at his outburst.

"... No. I'm... I've got this. Open the door, Mikki. It's time I faced the music."

She smiled triumphantly at him, giving his arm a squeeze before she opened the door.

Inside the large room were a vast array of instruments, each one Mikaru had remembered playing something on at some point. He looked to the trumpet, remembering when he played TAPS for the first time. He looked over at the Cello, which he distinctly remembered playing extensively. He scanned over all of the instruments, with a mixture of awe, excitement and terror as his memories of music flooded back to him in a wave.

Mikaru stumbled backwards, hitting the wall hard and sliding into a chair. Mikki turned, striding up to him and sitting beside him. She grabbed his arm, stroking it, lightly tapping his face with her bandaged stump.

"Mikaru? Hey, are you gonna be okay?"

He looked over to the kind girl who was being so patient with him, and felt a tear run down his face.

"I'm... _I'm okay. I got this. _I was... It's been so long. Part of me expected to forget, but... I remember it all. Beethoven on the Cello. TAPS on the trumpet. Over forty pieces on the flute... I... I played _everything here..._"

She looked at the stricken boy, feeling her own tear fall.

"_Everything?_ I... _oh, Kamis..._"

He shook his head, steeling his nerves again and standing up.

"_I got this. _Show me what you do. I need to hear it for myself."

She nodded, feeling herself get incredibly happy at the boy's bravery. She walked him over to the back, where she found her spot by the timpani and the chimes.

"This is my place. I play everything in this corner, along with my partner. He's missing a leg, and is deaf in one ear. He likes the noise though, so I enjoy it."

She picked up one of the mallets, securing it to her arm and using her teeth to tie it in place with her bandage. She then grabbed another one in her hand, and tapped out a little song. As she tapped away, she heard Mikaru singing along softly. His voice was, surprisingly, a comfortably warm tenor.

"... You're really good, Mikaru."

He looked at her, shaking his head before staring at her dumbly.

"- What was that?"

She looked at him funny.

"... You were singing. You have a great voice. I didn't expect a tenor though."

He froze a bit, before he took a breath and smiled.

"Thank you... I... I used to sing all the time. Had a couple jobs of it, actually. I've been singing since I was a little boy."

She smiled, looking at the boy a little before bending down to her shoe. She loosed one of her laces, taking the shoes off and grabbing a metal rod.

"Here. Try the Vibraphone with me. I'll tie this to your arm, like me."

He smiled at her, and gave a nod.

"O – okay..."

She secured it using her teeth and hand. When she was finished, she watched with pleasure as he walked over to the Vibraphone, and lightly rapped it with his rod. Feeling the effects of the smooth note, he tapped out a little tune, which she recognized as the melody to a popular English song by a singer named _Gotye._

"I shouldn't be surprised, but you're pretty good at that as well."

He turned back to her and gave a little smile. He took a deep breath and sighed, speaking in an airy tone. He seemed far away, but she wasn't too worried by it now.

"It's... _it's just like the piano..._"

She didn't miss the significance in his voice. She grabbed his wrist gently, taking her shoelace off of him. He looked a little saddened at his loss, but didn't argue.

"... _baby steps, Mikaru. I think we can get there. Not today, though. The class is starting soon. _Wanna sit down in the corner there?"

He smiled at her, recognizing the wisdom in her words. It wouldn't do him any good to rush; he could just end up getting frustrated again and giving up. Nodding to her, he let her lead him to a seat, before she walked over to the teacher. She tapped her on the shoulder, and spoke in quiet tones, gesturing back at him before talking some more. The teacher nodded before making her way over to him.

"Are you Mr. Kanasu?"

"No – well... yes, mam. It's... it's a pleasure to meet you."

She looked at him in appraisal before giving a nod, and turning back to Mikki.

"No problems, right Mikki? It's on you if this is a mistake."

The haughty woman walked away, and Mikki sat down next to the boy.

"I'm... I'm Sor -"

"- No, She's right. It's not an issue, though. I'm not new to that look; I'll be fine."

He looked over at the girl, giving her a reassuring smile.

"Okay? I got this. Now, go show me that _you got this._"

She grinned, punching him on the shoulder before walking away.

_Girl's got a mean punch..._

His thoughts were interrupted by the bell ringing, and a swarm of students hurrying to their places. None of them seemed to notice him, so he didn't mind. One, however, ran up to him.

"Mi – Mikaru? What – What are you doing here?"

He smiled at her, remembering her as the girl who thought he was 'really handsome' from the hall that day when he decided that Hanako had won...

_What? What was... What?_

"Uh, hi there. You, uh, you ran off before I could get your name that day. So what is it?"

"It's... uh..."

"- Everyone take a seat, please. We have much to do today, and little time to do it in."

As the girl scurried away, Mikaru couldn't help himself but to return to his other thoughts.

_That day... before the Shanghai... I'd decided that, if it ever came down to choosing... that Hanako... Hanako was the one for me... What... What happened to that notion? Where... where did I go... go wrong? _

_Wait._

_When did I decide I had feelings for Hanako?_

Mikaru was deeply troubled by this. He started to wonder if, maybe, he had been wrong to start a relationship with Emi. Maybe, Just maybe, Hisao had been onto something when he said that he thought that he was two – timing somebody.

That's certainly how he felt now, and the thought made him feel... _dirty. Like... he was a bad person. _

"- I hope that you actually managed to _study_ the performance last night. We've been... saddled... with an _unexpected guest_. I expect you to do _no less _than your absolute best. Is that clear? Now, _From the top._"

She cleared her throat, and Mikaru's seized up. _Oh, god. Oh god, oh god, oh god. I... I can't do this. I can't do this. I'm not ready, I -_

The teacher raised her baton, and the class raised their instruments. Their movements were practiced, and he noted with something akin to pride how close to perfect it was. He wondered to himself if their performance would -

_Deep Breath. _

_Blinding Smile._

_Charisma, Charisma, Charisma._

_... Showtime._

His face worked it's self into a pose he hadn't used for almost five years now - the firm – eyed, slightly frowning face of a serious musician, or a critic.

_- I... NO! DAMMIT! I GOT THIS!  
><em>

The teacher's hand moved. Five beats in a bar. Quarter note gets the beat.

... just as he remembered it. From behind him, he heard the tapping of the batons as they rapped together. He turned his head, looking at Mikki as she watched her music, her foot tapping from behind the xylophone that obscured the rest of her body. After Five taps, the first, pulsing beats of the song rang out, and he was taken away.

* * *

><p>The boy stood in front of the large crowd of people, his back turned on them. In front of him, an assortment of some of the greatest musicians Canada had to offer were watching him, expectantly. He felt his stomach turning over in his torso, but his body was calm. His face wore the frown his mother had taught him to use when he regarded the others. One of them, a really pretty girl named Marie, smiled at the boy excitedly, her Cello in her hand. He took a deep breath, opened his eyes again, and moved his hand. The crowd's excited murmuring died instantly as the first driving beats hung low in the air. Then, as the bar finished, a bar of silence followed. The beats sounded again, and the violins punctuated the upstrokes, filling the empty space in the music. After that, the violins stopped, and the beats sounded again. They tempered off, decrescendo into silence. His hand hung in the air. The audience drew their breath, holding it as the suspense built. He heard someone shuffle in their seat and he took that as his cue. He moved his hand, and the music practically exploded outwards, knocking the wind out of the audience. Applause sounded, but the music soon drowned it out. He felt the smallest of grins reach his lips, and he marched them on through the dark, moody music he had written.<p>

* * *

><p>The boy's eyes unclouded, and he felt... calm. Like all was right in the world. That didn't last long though. As he came back into awareness, he noticed little mistakes, small ones, but they were large enough to cause dominoes in the others.<p>

At Bar 22, a bow slipped. He let it slide.

At Bar 36, a trumpet played the wrong note, faltering before stopping altogether. Unacceptable.

At Bar 48, The trumpet from before tried to join the others, and it messed them up. Absolutely Unacceptable.

At Bar 55, the flutes were sloppy; not staccato. Not firm. _Simply Unacceptable. _

At Bar -

The music went on, and so did Mikaru. He noted, with satisfaction, that despite all his time away from the music, this song, even, that _He Still Had It. _His ear for a note was just as sharp as it was before, and his mind was already figuring out the best ways to fix the problems he was hearing, even as he kept identifying more problems to solve. When the song ended, he noted with pride that Mikki hadn't made a single mistake, despite all of the opportunities she had to do so.

He clapped his stubs together, drawing the attention of the whole class, teacher included.

"... That wasn't too bad. _Almost _like I remembered it."

The teacher put her hands on her hips, glaring authoritatively and challenging at the boy. He stood to meet her. The whole class gasped.

"- _Is that so, Mr. Kanasu? _And what, _pray tell, _makes you _qualified _to _judge _this performance?"

He looked back at Mikki, speaking loudly.

"It's simple, really. I haven't always been a Kanasu, you know. You see, my name is actually Michael Souta. This is _my song._"

Mikki's eyes widened, and the class collectively gasped. _No one _was expecting that.

"- I beg your pardon?"

He turned back to the teacher, walking up to her. She seemed to deflate a little as she got a better look at him.

"... You heard me. I'm Michael Souta. I wrote this. I was there that day, on the podium, when the best musicians Canada had to offer played it. I was conducting."

He turned back to the class, raising his arms.

"After making a mistake in judgement, I lost my hands, and was sent to prison for five years. To avoid shaming my family, I had them try me as Kanasu Mikaru, under my Japanese Citizenship. The documents on my Canadian citizenship exist to this day, however. As does my name, and heritage. That -"

He wheeled on the teacher, looking at her hard.

"- is how I am qualified. And that is why _you will give me the goddamn respect I deserve._"

He turned back to the class, looking at them for a moment, before clearing his voice and speaking.

"... if anyone is interested, I will be on the roof at the end of this period, and I would be happy to give you my notes, recommendations, and any other information regarding the piece. However, I seem to have overstayed my welcome. Class. Mikki. Farewell."

He turned and left, leaving the room quiet in his wake. The teacher, unused to being stood up to by anyone, let alone someone who was _better than she was_, sat back disbelievingly. The students were quiet, some of them looking back at Mikki with mixtures of amusement, disbelief, jealousy, anger, and curiosity. After a long, tense silence, one student spoke; the girl from the hallway.

"... _Holy Shit._"

* * *

><p>"... Holy shit..."<p>

Mikaru sat back on the bench on the roof, the gravity of his actions only just now hitting with their full force.

_He did it. He ACTUALLY did that. _

He made it through the piece. He cussed out the teacher. He reclaimed his true name. He offered to coach the students -

OH SHIT!

_Why on earth would I do something silly like that? God, I am an idiot sometimes. Why couldn't I just leave well enough alo - _

"Mi – Mikaru?"

Hanako peeked out at the boy from behind the stairwell. _Oh shit. Hanako is here. HANAKO IS HERE! What am I gonna do? I can't face her right now!_

"Uh, Hi Hanako. What, uh – What are you doing up here?"

She looked down, a little disappointed.

"I... well _I thought that you'd... want to... talk to... to me..._"

He felt bad. Really, really bad. He _couldn't _let Hanako feel like that. He couldn't comfort her either, though. _DAMN ME AND MY STUPID BRAIN!_

"No, Hanako, I do. Please, join me."

_... Burn and die, brain. You suck._

"O – okay..."

She sat down, leaving a slight amount of space between them.

"So... what... how did..."

"- I did something really stupid, Hanako."

She looked up at the boy, a little shocked at his frank speech.

"Like... like what?"

He looked at her, hard, before he looked away, giving a sigh of shame.

"I... I got carried away. I made a mistake, and... and I don't know what to do about it. I... I don't know what I want anymore."

Hanako paused, considering his words, before speaking.

"Did it... did it feel like... like a mistake... at – at the time?"

He looked at the girl's knees. _Did it?_

"I... I don't really know. When I did it, I... I wasn't really feeling much of anything..."

She frowned, turning his gaze up to meet hers.

"Do... do you regret what you did?"

He paused, thinking about it.

"I... I don't know, Hanako. A very, very large part of me does. But, one small part... the old me... it doesn't."

Hanako frowned, looking away.

"It's... it's strange, how much... how much can change in a day... isn't it?"

He looked at her, unable to speak. In an unusual spur of bravery, she looked at him and continued.

"I... I remember the day... the day when... when fire ruined... ruined my life. I... I thought that it was my fault, that... that my mother... _died..._"

She started to cry a little, but Mikaru could do nothing about it. Nothing, that wasn't morally compromising that is. You know, because having this conversation with her in the first place wasn't morally compromising _enough_.

"... I... I thought it was... it was my... my fault... but..."

She stopped crying then, wiping her tears. Her voice grew constantly more steady as time went on.

"... but... I know... now... that it... it wasn't. It wasn't my fault. You... _you_ taught me that."

Mikaru gasped at her confession. He didn't know what he could say about that.

"... When you were brave, even... even when you didn't know what to... to do, it... it inspired me. I looked at my life again, and... and... and I realized why... my mother did what she did. She did it because... she loved me. It was her job to save my life, because... because she knew that one day, I could... I could save someone else's. It makes sense to me, and when you went with Mikki today, I... I felt... proud... to know you. Even if..."

Mikaru couldn't help himself.

"- _Even if?_"

She looked away, slumping into herself.

"Even if... you weren't doing it... _for me... _anymore..."

Mikaru wanted to hit something then. He DID want to do it for her. HE HAD done it for her. Why was he so stupid? _Why did he ever betray them like that?_

"... You were doing it for yourself. And that was... and that was what I needed to see. I needed... to see you... do something for... for you, for once."

_... What?_

"... So, I'm... I'm going to start living for... for myself as well. It's... it's what you want, isn't it? To see people grow and eventually move... move away?"

_He didn't know what to say. Yes, he wanted her to grow as a person. No, he didn't want her to leave him. What should he say? What CAN he say?_

"I... I... Hanako... I don't... DAMMIT!"

He stood up, bolting over to the stairwell and punching it as hard as he could. The concrete block shattered, and he felt a bone in his arm chip again.

"Mi – Mikaru! What's – What's wrong with you?"

"I DON'T KNOW! I DON'T KNOW ANYMORE, OKAY? I CAN'T HANDLE THIS RIGHT NOW! I... I... I'm... I'm sorry... I..."

He fell down, cradling his injured arm and crying.

"Yes, I want you to grow. But... but... Dammit, I don't... I don't want you to go away, either. I – I fucked up, okay? _I fucked up... _I wasn't ready for this. I... I didn't know..."

He felt himself shrink, ruing the day he was born for shouting at his friend like that. _He never wanted that. He NEVER wanted that. _

"... I shouldn't have said anything, Hanako. I... I just wish I knew, for once! DAMMIT! Why do I keep on fucking up like this?"

Hanako was bolted to the bench. She couldn't _believe _her words had impacted him so much. She was so confused. Why did he care so much? Why did _she _care so much? She started to understand his feelings of confusion and anger.

"Mikaru."

He looked up at the girl, still clutching his arm.

"... I think... I think... _baby... steps..._"

He chuckled, the sound of it being not something he really felt on the inside.

"I think... I think you're right, Hanako. Baby steps. Rome wasn't built in a day. Neither will I get over my problems. Hanako... I'm still your friend, right?"

She looked over at him, nodding.

"O – of course... Mikaru..."

He nodded, steeling himself for what he was about to say.

"... in about five minutes, people are going to come up here. You shouldn't... you shouldn't be here when they arrive. Beyond that, though, I... I'm going to... pull away for a while."

She froze.

"W – What?"

He didn't look at her as he spoke.

"I need... I need you to... to tell the others... that I'm... that I'm ok. Hisao. Lilly. Emi. All of them. I can't... I need some time to... to grow."

She didn't want that. Why was he choosing now, of all times, over all things, to pull away like this?

"But – But I – I don't -"

"Hanako. _I need this. _I... I can't... I can't be the friend you want me to be... that you _need _me to be... like this. I'm... I'm too fucked up. I need... I need some space. I'll... I'll come back, okay? I promise you, I'll come back. And when I do, If... if you'll have me... I'll still be your friend... but I... I can't -"

"- Fine. I... I understand. You're wrong, though. I... I need to... I need to go."

She got up and left, storming through the door. He felt his heart die at her words, but a small part of him, the smallest, tiniest part, was... happy.

_I'm... I'm wrong... Am... am I wrong, though?_

* * *

><p>The meeting was packed, as was the roof. Nobody seemed to notice the boy's broken arm, or the concrete dust that was on it, but he felt glad about that. Mikki was concerned, though.<p>

_Couldn't have that. _

"Mikaru? Are you okay? Today was -"

"I'm fine, Mikki. You've done me a great service today. I'll never forget it. That being said... go away. I need to be alone right now. Just myself. Myself... alone... you understand, ne?"

His words were cold. They shook her, but she nodded, turning on her heel and walking away before she said something stupid.

The others didn't notice. They all gave him happy, appreciative, adoring smiles. _Disgusting._

... The one girl from the hall was the most infuriating, though. Simply because she _wasn't_ disgusting.

"Thank you, Mikaru. Have a... have a nice week."

_She knew. She knew that I was withdrawing from them. Funny, how blind adoration turns into tempered observation after solitude. I suppose she is like me. Maybe she will do._

"... Girl."

The others had left by now. She stopped, turning to me.

"Y – yes?"

"... I want to compose a concert. I ask you to assist me. Is this agreeable?"

She gawked at him before sputtering a bit.

"- I have a name too, you pompous asshole!"

"You do? Funny, I've asked you twice, and yet, you never gave one."

She paused, taking a deep breath before turning back to him.

"_My name _is... is... is..."

Mikaru waited, his arms at his sides. He wanted to cross them. A glare would have to suffice.

"My name, is... is... Ca – Carla. Carla Simpson."

Mikaru raised his eyebrow, before speaking in English.

"Do you speak English, Carla Simpson?"

She opened her mouth, as if in shock, but put a bitter grin on her face, shaking her head before speaking back in perfect, native, American English.

"Not... _Not to you, Jerk._"

He grinned. She was angry. She would _definitely do. _

"You are mad at me? That's good. That's good energy. You should use it. Write a concert with me."

She crossed her arms, leaning on one leg and speaking indignantly.

"Why would I waste my time _helping you _write a _stupid concert_ when you're _such a big JERK?!_"

Mikaru didn't pause. His voice was dark, cold, and it chilled even himself.

"... _Because I intrigue you._ You were distracted the whole class, watching me as I examined you playing my piece. You want to see the dark, troubled heart that could write such music from such an early age. And I offer you the chance to see it. Yet, _you refuse me. _I _won't _ask again. Help me. Write. This. Concert."

She paused, frozen by his words. She was frightened by him. However, human curiosity is a tenacious thing.

"_... Fine. I'll do it. What do you need?"_

Mikaru didn't pause.

"As of this moment, you are my understudy. Your obligations are, in no particular order, to scribe my work on the page. To interpret my communications. To intercept and dispose of interruptions, distractions, and other such things. And, finally, to deal with me and my anger. Other stipulations include: That I may, at any time, post addendum to the verbal contract we are forming today, but not alter or change any of our current stipulations or any other stipulations arising from said addendum. I may, not, at any time, through action or inaction, allow you to come into physical harm. You may not express displeasure with a stipulation without sufficient supporting evidence, decided by myself. Finally, your payment. If you so choose to enter into agreement with myself, I will give to you a sum of no less or more than 1,000,000 Yen, and also be bound to ensure that your contribution to my work is properly cited, upon completion of the work. Ten seconds. Is this agreeable?"

She didn't have to think 5.

"... Fine."

* * *

><p>End of Chapter Twenty – One: Behind These Bars, a Change in Tempo!<p>

Next Time! Chapter Twenty – Two: Behind These Bars, I Live in Exile!


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter Twenty -Two: Behind These Bars, I Live in Exile!**

* * *

><p>The first night was cold.<p>

It was in the first night that I plotted my mind, letting loose all of my emotions before entering my meditation. As I breathed, I felt the emotions come back, as well as the thoughts and people associated with them. It was in this way that my understudy found me, sitting on my floor, closed off from everything but that which was _me;_ My Sorrow, My Joy, My love... My Shame.

I heard the door lock, and she sat before me. She watched me as I sat, intrigued. I heard a bag rustle, and then I heard pencil scratch on paper. After an hour of silence she spoke.

"... are we doing this?"

I didn't open my eyes.

"The First: Anger."

She paused, before writing it down.

"Key of B Minor. Eight notes in a bar. Quarter notes for beat."

She wrote diligently, not saying a word. When she was finished, I spoke, telling her exactly what notes went where, what instrument played them, and other such things that were necessary to relate. After a while, she spoke, interrupting my relation of the music flowing in my head.

"This is... fitting. The themes are... jarring, much like the piece we play in the class."

"... That was amateur work. Uninspired. I am not pleased with it."

I continued, speaking more. After a while, she let out a yawn, and I raised my brow. I opened my eyes, breaking my meditation.

"You tire?"

She glared at me, setting her things down.

"... It's two in the morning. _No shit 'I tire'_"

I paused at her words, speaking as I slipped back into my trance.

"Addendum No. 1: we break at the Hour of Midnight. You shall inform me when it is so, or when you notice it to be so. Whichever comes first. You are dismissed."

She gathered most of her things, leaving the papers she had been writing on.

"Arrogant ass..."

She stomped out. I resumed my trance.

* * *

><p>...The second night was hot.<p>

I could feel the sweat as it pooled on my brow, but paid it no heed.

After a time, the burning in my eyes was agony.

... After a time longer, I could feel no pain.

It was a much, much longer time before the girl came back.

"Mikaru? Hisao is worried about you. He says 'Get your ass out there, and go see your girlfriend. She misses you, and is worried sick.' Also, he told me that Hanako was distant."

Mikaru absorbed this information, but didn't move. He hadn't moved in over thirty six hours; why start now?

"That is acceptable. Prepare yourself."

She scoffed, locking the door again before she sat in her usual place.

"... Are we going to do this?"

It came much sooner than the first time.

"Yes. Continue from Bar 127, Beat 5. Half note, F Natural..."

This continued on, with Carla diligently writing down what I was saying. It was a little surprising, but I was feeling very still at that point. I was beginning to wonder how long we had been working before she paused, snapping her fingers in front of my face.

"Mikaru, this is bullshit. Have you eaten anything? You look pale. You need to sleep. I'm not going to -"

"- Addendum No. 2: At no point, will any of those questions, statements, or other remarks about my health be mentioned. To anyone. Addendum No. 3: **No**. **Snapping.**"

She growled in frustration, smacking the couch.

"- Whatever. It's 01:27."

She stood up and left, barely saying a word.

"... One down. Flow into movement No. 2."

* * *

><p>The third night was lonely. I missed my friends, and everything about them.<p>

The way Hisao would always be there for me, to lend me a shoulder when mine weren't strong enough.

The way that Lilly would laugh with me, and cry with me, and show me that even the blind can see.

The way that Emi would giggle, and show me that there was happiness in this world and that I deserved it.

The way that Hanako taught me how to be brave, even when everything I had in me told me _no_.

I mused over my friends, allowing myself to slip into a state of solipsism until the time when Carla Simpson entered once more, locking the door swiftly.

"Mikaru, it's getting bad out there. Hisao won't leave me alone anymore. He knows I have your key; he tried taking it from me today before I got here. I -"

I stood up, walking over to her and gesturing to the door. Slowly, she opened the door, and I looked out. My vision was fuzzy, but I could make out Hisao's unmistakable silhouette.

"Mikaru? Dammit Mikaru, what are you doing! You need to come -"

"No."

Hisao paused, flinching a little at my voice.

"... No, Hisao. I will not go. Furthermore, _you will not _disturb me. Am I clear?"

I felt horrible. I wanted to drown myself in a bathtub. I loved Hisao; I didn't want him to go.

"... Fine. Die, for all I care. Stupid jerk..."

He stomped away, leaving me at the door. I stumbled backwards when he was in his room.

Carla looked at me with something that was a mixture of sadness, understanding, compassion, and some sick joy from seeing me so wounded by his words.

I did not comment. I did not deserve to.

I resumed my place, about to slip into my meditations before Carla spoke.

"Do you want to see your work?"

I paused. Slowly, weakly, I walked over, standing over her shoulder examining the music on the page.

"... You have a very steady hand, Carla. You are very skilled."

She balked at my compliment, before she blushed a little, watching me as I sat back in my spot, and resumed my meditations.

"We move to the Second: Regret. D Minor. Five Notes in a bar, Eighth note for beat."

I paused. I heard Carla gasp, before she put a hand on my arm.

"Mikaru... are you sure you still want to do this? I don't know if... if this is... No, that's against the contract. Are we... are we going to do this?"

I spoke, noting with shame as tears slowly leaked from my eyes.

After I get through 80 bars of my regrets, she stops me with a hand on my arm.

"It's... it's 03:00. Thursday. Tomorrow will be time off, so I will... I will be here in the morning."

"... You could stay, if you wanted."

She paused, before I heard her voice, as quiet as the wind.

"I don't... I don't want to see this. Good night, Mikaru."

I nodded, feeling a little sad, but understanding her anyhow. I heard her leave, and I teared up again. The shame was stronger this time.

The forth night, the shame didn't leave. It was like an anvil, hung around my neck, weighing me down with it's weight. I was ashamed of what I was doing; of how I was pulling away.

... I couldn't bring myself to stop, though.

* * *

><p>As I felt my shame become too much to bear, I sprung up, heading to the door, unlocking it, and heading out into the hallway. I didn't know what I was doing, but I knew that I had to do something. So, pausing at Hisao's room is what I did. I listened into his room; he was on the phone. It sounded like he was speaking to Lilly.<p>

"_I can't handle this, Lilly! He's going to kill himself in there!"_

A pause in their conversation happened then. It was short, though.

"_... No. Not for four days. Four fucking days, and he hasn't even come out to do his damned Kata on the roof!"_

Another pause. This one was longer, and Lilly's voice was audible. The words were indecipherable.

"_... I'm sorry, Lilly. I'm just... I'm scared. I'm... I'm happy, that he's doing this, but it's not healthy. I looked into his room. There's no light, and a pile of twelve tea lights. They aren't for him, though. They're for that damned fool girl he's got writing his stupid songs for him..."_

Lilly's voice. _"... are Stupid, do you?"_

"_... No, I don't really think that. I... I found the song he wrote. The one Mikki was listening to? It was... it was beautiful. Haunting. This was before the incident."_

This was the longest pause yet. I couldn't make out what the girl was saying, but I heard my song on the other line. It made me cringe.

"_... I did something horrible, Lilly... I -"_

I couldn't let myself hear any more. I headed into the showers, turning it on it's hottest setting and feeling my skin burn. I didn't care, though. It was worth it, if only to forget the words Hisao had said. As the water burned, prickling on my scars and running completely numb on my keyloid stubs, I noted with a grim acceptance that I was starting to get thinner. That wouldn't do. I needed to eat soon. Swallowing my pride, I walked over to Hisao's door, raising my arm to knock. Just I did, I heard his tears, and decided that I couldn't face him yet. Turning away, I plodded off back to my room, opening it and closing it without a sound.

I dressed myself then, and resumed my vigilant post on the floor.

Six hours later, Carla came through my door. Before she had time to settle, she noted that I had changed, and smiled a little.

"Your... Your beard is getting thick, Mikaru. It's not anything bad, I just thought I'd let you know."

"... Thank you, Carla... Honesty... Do I look like shit?"

She was surprised by my words, but managed a small smile as she nodded.

"Well, yeah. It's... it's a little scary, but you wanted honesty, Right? Here's some more for you. You should eat something. It's not a suggestion, or an instruction. Just an observation."

"... I find myself agreeing with you. I'm not finished here yet. Unfortunately, I find myself at an impasse. I am out of food, but wish to eat for Hisao's sake."

Carla paused, smiling a little.

"... For Hisao. Not yourself, though. Just Hisao."

I nodded.

"... Do you have money?"

I got up, going to my dresser and grabbing my wallet. I pulled out three 5000 Yen notes, handing them to her. Her eyes widened at the sight of the money, but she wisely chose not to comment. As it was, my metabolism was starting to fail, and I felt the telltale signs of my condition descending upon me. I was lucky in that I had stayed almost completely still, and thus used little energy, but it wasn't looking good for me.

"... May you please find me enough for Six meals? Keep the rest, for your trouble."

She nodded, turning to leave.

"Carla?"

She turned at the door, looking at me.

"If... if you... if you see Hisao or Lilly, may you... may you please tell them? I want Hisao... to..."

She nodded, smiling, before leaving.

* * *

><p>Forty minutes later, a loud bang was heard on my door, and then there was silence. I felt a small smile creep to my face.<p>

At 14:36, Carla returned to the room. She had a Slush Puppie in one hand, and a large plastic bag in the other. A piece of paper was pinched between her fingers.

"I got your food here. It's... mostly edible. I mean, I'm not a fan of raw ramen, but I figured you'd appreciate it, Mr. Ramen King. Canadians are _so weird. _There's more there too. Oh, and this note is from Hisao. Would you... would you like to read it? I think you'll understand it better than me."

I paused, before I nodded, pinching the piece of paper in between my arms. I placed it on my desk, examining it.

_Dear Mikaru, _

_Fuck you very much, _

_you're scaring me shitless here, _

_hurry the fuck up. _

_Much love, _

_Hisao._

I felt a small chuckle at the sneaky, English Haiku Hisao had written in Japanese. It was obviously meant to translate like that, and it made me admire my friend's wit.

"It's a Haiku, translated into Japanese from English. The Japanese words don't match the syllabus, but it's fitting. Thank you... Thank you for telling him, Carla."

She nodded, smiling at my words. I took my spot on the floor, closing my eyes and preparing to speak, when she spoke first.

"Mikaru? I've been meaning to ask you... This concert. What's it... what's it about?"

I opened my eyes, looking at the girl seriously for a second. I remembered then that I had food, and picked something before eating it. It was an apple.

... It was delicious.

"... It's... it's me, Carla. When it's done... all of it will be me, and I will be it. It's everything I am, put onto paper. Put into song. It's five years of suppressed music, thoughts and emotion, coming out in an hour – long sonnet. I hope that... I hope that makes sense to you, Carla. Because It's enough for me."

Carla gazed at me as I finished the apple, placing it into the now – empty bag and resuming my post.

"Now, where was I? Oh, yes. Bar 81, Note 1. Whole note. Root."

She smiled, writing down the note where it belonged.

After six hours, I looked at the girl, who looked at me expectantly.

"What's... what's part 3?"

I smiled, shaking my head.

"We don't have to start now. You've worked very hard; I think you can go now."

She nodded, still smiling.

"No, I think... I think I want to hear this. Let's go until Midnight. I've had plenty of time to stretch my hand out."

The smile was a little sad, but it made me forget myself. I smiled back, nodding softly.

"On to the third movement: Longing..."

We worked hard, until Carla slumped over in her spot, completely unconscious. I looked at her, walking over to my bed. I grabbed the comforter that laid on it, placing it over her body and picking her feet up. She snuggled into it's warmth, sleeping soundly.

I didn't know how long I was staring at her, but it was light now, and she awoke.

"Hnnnn... Where... where am I..."

She sat up, holding her neck stiffly. She looked around, before seeing me.

"Good Morning, Carla. You fell asleep, and I decided that it would be best not to disturb you. I hope you aren't angry at me."

She looked at me a little funny, before noting that she was in my comforter. She looked over to my bed before looking back at me and giving a slow, but very sweet smile. She shook her head.

"That was... That was very sweet of you, Mikaru. Thank you."

I smiled again, looking at the girl before I closed my eyes, going into my state before I spoke. It had been twenty minutes.

"Ready? Bar 93. Beat 7. Quarter note. G number 5."

We worked for two hours, before Carla's stomach growled.

"Take something. I have enough to share. I also have a Microwave. Just... just saying..."

She laughed, setting her pencil down.

"... You eat too."

It wasn't a question.

I smiled.

"Of course."

I opened my eyes, looking down at my uncooked Ramen, I watched as Carla opened the package, before she pulled out another bowl, placed it in, poured water into it, and placed it in the microwave. She returned, this time sitting by my left side.

Emi usually sits there when she feeds me.

... Hanako sits on my right.

I don't argue as she feeds me.

... This is, I decide, better than the apple.

* * *

><p>When I am finished eating, Her food is ready. She sits it down, turning it over with a fork before picking the pencil.<p>

"... So, are we gonna do this?"

I smile, raising my brow at her. She looked down to her food quickly before looking back to me, smirking.

"- I can multitask, you know. I'm not going to slobber over your work, or anything..."

"... Our work, Carla. _Our _work. You've earned that."

She smiled dazzlingly at me, before nodding resolutely.

"O – okay..."

We completed the Third Movement 5 hours later. She still looked ready for more, so I obliged.

"... Movement 4: Fear. Twelve... Twelve beats in a bar... Quarter note gets the beat. Key of... Key of A minor... Ready?"

She paused, staring at me.

"... are you? You don't... you don't sound too ready."

I looked at her.

"I have to face this. Let's... let's begin."

Four hours later, I decide to finish for the night.

"... Carla."

She looked at me, putting her things down.

"... you need to sleep. You should return to the dormitory."

"... No."

"Pardon?"

She looked at me intensely.

"I said no. I'm not going back to the dormitory. You haven't slept. You're getting slow. It's starting to scare me. I don't know if I can take much more of you like this. So, You're going to sleep. And I'm going to make sure you do."

"Carla -"

"- Dammit, Mikaru! Sleep for once! You've earned it!"

I looked at her hard, before acquiescing to her will. I stepped slowly, walking over to the bed before crawling in gratefully. I felt cold. I didn't think I would be able to sleep. I was about to get up again, but I was surprised to feel the bed shift behind me, and the covers to rise, before falling again. I rolled over, looking into the face of the girl.

"Carla?"

She looked at me with a fierce determination in her eyes.

"... You are going to sleep. I am going to make sure you don't die. You owe it to your friends to survive, and you owe it to yourself to finish."

She wrapped her arms around me. No way of sneaking out now.

I resigned myself to my fate.

... The bed wasn't as cold anymore.

* * *

><p>I woke up, noting with some pleasure that I hadn't suffered from a nightmare that night. I still felt Carla's arms around me, and it made me blush. I rolled over, surprised to see her staring intently into my eyes when I woke up.<p>

"... you started shaking, you know. In your sleep. It was... it was scary. I've... I've never seen someone else sleep before."

I stared at her, moving to get up. She gripped her arms around me tighter, restricting my movement.

"... Carla..."

I looked down at the girl, surprised to find her face buried in my shirt.

"... don't... don't keep yourself up like that again, okay? It's... it's scary. I don't like it. You need to stop. Promise me."

"Carla... you know that I -"

"Promise me! _We're not moving until you do._"

I sighed, flopping back down onto the bed. I raised my arm to my eyes, rubbing the sleep from them, before I rolled over to her, using my arm to catch her gaze.

"I... I promise. No more sleepless nights. Okay? I need... I need to get up."

She pulled her arms away, and I sat up. I felt rejuvenated by my rest. It was surprising, even though I had expected as much.

"It's 15:00. You slept 14 hours."

I paused, looking at her.

"What... what day is it?"

"It's Sunday. Almost a week now. We're... about a third done? Is that right?"

I felt myself frowning, nodding my head at her.

She looked like she wanted to say more, but she didn't. Against the contract, I suppose. Or, Maybe, she just didn't think she could convince me to do it, and didn't want to miss her opportunity.

... Smart.

We walked over to our places, and I sat down. She did too, and I closed my eyes.

"... Bar 22. beat Nine. Half note, G."

It's a hard nine hours, but we manage to finish by twelve. My eyes were closed, but I didn't speak. Carla didn't set anything down, though. I just thought that she was waiting for me to speak. Three minutes later, though, I found out that wasn't the case.

When I opened my eyes, Carla was crying. She was staring at the music on the page, and she was _crying _about it.

"... Carla?"

She snapped her eyes up to me, moving them quickly between the music in her hands and my face.

"This... this is... this is it, isn't it? The moment when you lost... Bar 63, Note 11. It's... it's the..."

I nodded at her. She was seeing it now. All the imagery behind the music. It wasn't just noise to me; it painted a picture as clear as daylight. Carla was immersed in it too, now. She could never unsee the things she just saw, and it made me sad. I had to write this, but... I didn't expect her to see it. Not like I do.

"... You see it, don't you? The knife. The woman. The fear."

"_... this isn't fair..._"

I watched as she set the paper down, getting angry.

"... How could – How could someone _do that_? It's... it's... You've been scared of that knife all this time, and -"

"- It's not the knife. Or the man. Or the others."

She paused, a little shocked.

"What – what is it then?"

I looked away, staring out the window. After a tense half of a minute, I closed my eyes. The face is there, watching me. Blood covers it. It's eyes are wide, blue, and tear – laden.

"... It's the woman who watched."

She gasped, slapping her hand against her mouth. She got up, bolting out of the room faster than I'd ever expected.

The face lingered.

Even as I slept... _the face lingered._

* * *

><p>I woke up unexpectedly. Carla was in my room again, shaking my shoulder. It was 05:40.<p>

"Mikaru... Mikaru... wake up..."

I sat up slowly, silently thankful she had woken me from my slumber, pulling me away from the woman who watched.

"Mikaru... we need to talk."

I nodded, getting out of bed. I felt her eyes on my back as I moved over to my dresser, turning on a lamp before sitting down on the couch.

"... This... this has to stop. I can't... I can't be the only one seeing this anymore. The others need to know that you're ok. They're... Emi was in her room all weekend. She didn't leave. Hisao and Lilly were with Hanako. She's... she's worse that Emi. You can't do this to us, Mikaru. Please, you have to face them. We can work at night. But please, just go to them. They need you. WE need you."

I looked at her, hard. I thought about her words. About how selfish I had been, exiling myself from the world. I thought that I needed to be alone...

It only did bad things to me.

I was weak. I was sad.

I was losing them. Carla...

Carla was right. _This has to stop._

"Is there... is there food here?"

She looked over to the fridge, ignoring the alcohol and pulling out a pair of apples.

"These are the last of them."

Mikaru nodded, grabbing one before wolfing it down.

"... are you going to eat, Carla?"

She shook her head.

"I ate before I came. You need it more than I do. Eat, Mikaru."

Mikaru ate his second apple more slowly. Feeling the sleep work it's way out of his shoulders, he stood up.

"... I think... I think you're right. So long... so long as we finish this, I'll... Promise me."

She looked up at me, nodding.

"I promise, Mikaru. You get out there, and I'll come back here. It's a deal?"

She stuck her hand out to me. I extended my stub to meet it. We shook.

"... Deal."

* * *

><p>End of Chapter Twenty – Two: Behind These Bars, I Live in Exile!<p>

Next Time! Chapter Twenty – Three: Behind These Bars, The Consequence of Inaction!


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter Twenty – Three: Behind These Bars: The Consequence of Inaction!**

* * *

><p>I rolled over in my bed, looking at my clock.<p>

06:00

I groaned, rolling over again before settling into my covers. Just as I was about to fall back asleep, I was scared shitless to hear banging on my door. A whispered baritone followed, and I bolted up, scrambling to get dressed when I recognized the pattern.

- _THUMP _"Hisao?"

_THUMPTHUMPTHUMP _"Hisao?"

_THUMPTHUMPTHUMP _"Hisao?"

_THUMPTHUMPTHUMP _"Hisao?"

THUMP –

I yank the door open, staring at the man on the other side of the threshold. He was haggard, looking slightly skinnier since we last spoke, but the look on his face was definitely new. What was that?

"... Mikaru."

I gazed at him, disbelief, anger, relief and a whole bunch of other emotions swirling around inside of me all at once, like a snowstorm in the northern islands.

"... Come on, Hisao. We're going to be late. _You know _how much it pisses Emi off when -"

"- I know. I'm not going."

Mikaru frowned, then his face returned to normal.

"Hisao... The Nurse isn't going to be -"

"_What do you care, Mikaru? You don't give a shit..."_

The words came out cold from my mouth. His face didn't move a muscle. _Is he really that heartless? How was I even friends with him before? How didn't I notice this?_

"... _Fuck you too, Hisao. _'Die, for all I care', right? Is _that _our thing now? Well, _fuck that_. You might not give a shit anymore, _but I still do._ Do you seriously think I would be out there, sprinting that _fucking _track every day, reliving _my personal _prison nightmare, If I didn't give a shit? **Huh**? _What the fuck happened to **that, huh?**_"

No. No, not now. Not _fucking now. _

"- Oh no, Mikaru, _don't you give me that shit. _You can't convince me you care. Not now. I... I..."

"_- Dammit, Hisao, you think I don't KNOW that I FUCKED UP?!"_

"- It's not _fucking fair, _Mikaru! _How the hell could you do that, _and come here, at six in the morning, like _It's old fucking times, _and like nothing _even fucking happened!? _You don't just get to disappear, and blow me off like that without -"

"I'M FUCKING TRYING, HISAO! I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE I CAN DO!"

_... it was regret. It was the first time I had seen it on his face. It was honest regret. _

I punched the boy in the mouth then. He took it, turning his head with the force of my punch. My hand ached. He turned back to me, waiting. He didn't move a muscle.

... I couldn't take it anymore.

"**- FUCK YOU!**"

I launched myself at him, wrapping my arms around him. I was crying like a girl, but I didn't give a shit. Mikaru was still for a second, before his arms slowly came up behind me, pressing me a little.

"... _You earned that_, Hisao. That's your freebie. Now, Nut up. _You got this_?"

I looked at him, feeling like a damn fool. One day, I was going to kill this guy.

- That wasn't today, though.

"I – I need to sit down..."

I stumbled backwards, falling into my bed, my shoulders slumped. Mikaru waited for me, standing by the door. His eyes were on me like glue. _Making up for lost time, I suppose..._

"... What's up, man? Carla not enough eye candy for you?"

Mikaru let out a bellow of a laugh. It was too loud.

... It was what I was missing.

I laughed as well, enjoying having my friend back.

"Hey, Hisao?"

I looked up at him. He looked a little gaunt, but otherwise, he didn't actually look as bad as I thought. Nothing a good, solid week of work wouldn't fix.

"... Yeah, Stubbs?"

He grinned, leaning back against the wall.

"Did you... did you use that line?"

I looked up at him, a little confused.

"Uh... which one are we talking here? I haven't gone fishing in -"

"- Stop fucking around, dude. You know. 'Be Still, Mine Beating Heart'?"

I paused, before I laughed like an idiot.

"Heh. You, uh... _you know it,_ man. It... it was actually pretty good. I made it a little sappy. Lilly ate that shit up, though, so it all worked out in the end."

Mikaru laughed, making me smile again.

"No way! That's fucking rock, dude! I just wish I had cool pick – up lines like that. I can't just, you know, _serenade _them anymore."

I paused for a moment.

"Why... _why can't you, though?_ You're healthy. You can run for miles. You almost _never _get sick, and you _never _eat crap. Your throat's gotta be golden, Stubbs."

He considered it seriously, before he turned to me and spoke.

"Is that... do you want me to sing?"

I looked up at him, surprised that he was asking me what I wanted. I knew that I wanted him to be happy again, though, so he didn't pull anything like that disappearance again.

"... Yeah, I think... I think I do. I think it would be good for you, you know? Mikki said that you're actually really good. Mikki's hard to please, too."

Mikaru frowned, sagging down onto the bed beside me.

"... I know... _fuck, man. _I'm... I'm fucking screwed, aren't I? I did it. I'm done."

_That was not a good thing. I gotta stop this. _

"... You don't believe that, do you? You're fucking _Kanasu Mikaru_! You've got so much charisma, I wouldn't be surprised if you could start a cult about _kicking puppies_."

Mikaru laughed at that.

"Hah... You think so?_ Kicking puppies_... that's kinda _dark_, man."

I laughed right back, patting him on the back.

"Heh... well, if anyone could do it... it would be you. Come on, man. It's... it's time to head down to the track. Emi... Emi's waiting for you."

I stood up, extending my hand out to Mikaru. He looked up at me, before he put his arm out and I grabbed it, hoisting him up.

"... Yeah. Here, I'm taking the express route. You just... you just meet us down there."

He abruptly turned, opening my window and jumping out. I just laughed, closing my window and walking out my door.

"That Mikaru..."

I smiled, flicking my phone open. Pulling up my contacts list, I scrolled through until I saw Lilly's number. I tossed the idea around for a second, before I took a deep breath and pressed call.

_Brrrrrrrrrrrrr..._

_Brrrrrrrrrrrrr..._

_Brrrrr -_

"_Hello? Satou Lilly speaking."_

She sounded a bit down, beyond just being tired. I shook off the concern I felt for my girlfriend before I spoke.

"Good Morning, Lilly. Are you... are you up?"

There was shuffling on the other line.

"_Hi – Hisao? What... what time is it?"_

I laughed. I started walking down the hallway towards the stairs.

"It's 06:15. Mikaru... Mikaru is out again."

There was a pause on the other line.

"_Where... where is he? Did he... did you speak with him?"_

"Yes, I... I did. He's... well, he's beating himself up about it. Just like you thought. I was... I was wrong."

She shuffled a bit more, before coughing a bit.

"_... Are you still his friend?"_

I paused, coming to a complete stop in the hallway.

"I... of course I am."

I heard a slight laughter on the other end of the line. There was much more shifting. She must have been getting her clothing out.

"_... I'm glad, Hisao. I suspect that he's going... going to have a rough time with some of the others, though. Emi especially. I think... I think this hits a little too close to home for her."_

I started walking again, a little faster than I had been before.

"And... and what about Hanako? Is she..."

Lilly didn't even have to think.

"_Hanako? I suspect that Hanako will be happy to see him again. She really missed him, you know. I think... I think something happened between them, before he secluded himself. Hanako's been really beating herself up about the whole thing. As much as... as much as that angers me, I don't think... I don't think I blame him for what he did. Mikaru is a complex person. He's not a fool though. More than that, he's honest to a fault. If he messed up, and he thinks that he made a mistake..."_

I nodded, more to myself than to her.

"... He'll own that. He _is _owning it. He told me so much himself. He... he said he was miserable. He was gaunt. I think he lost close to 10 Kilos in there. Carla... I think Carla got through to him, though, in the end. He wasn't shaking like the first time I saw him. He's definitely been sleeping. Probably eating, too, if not enough."

She paused on the other end for a moment, the ruffling now completely stopped.

"_... Should I... Should I forgive him? Do you think he deserves it?"_

"- Yes. Absolutely. I think... I think that at least one of us should just... just take him back, because... If I know Emi... she won't."

There was silence for a moment. I had just stepped out of the Dormitories before Lilly spoke.

"_... All right, Hisao. I think... so long as you can, I can as well. Hanako will forgive him, I know that much... even though she probably shouldn't. You're right about Emi, but..."_

Lilly paused on the other end, weighing a decision in her mind. She made it, and I almost couldn't believe my ears.

"_... Emi won't forgive him. She won't take this lightly, though. I suspect... I suspect she'll go to Rin about it. Rin would... I spoke with Rin, early into his seclusion. She seemed to completely understand his actions, even going as far as to endorse them. Said something about... 'destroying himself for his art'. If she tells Emi this, and gets her to... to understand it as well... then..."_

Was Lilly suggesting what I thought she was suggesting? Was she... was she honestly considering this?

"... Do you mean to tell me that... If Rin tells her about Mikaru's actions, from her perspective, then... Emi will take him back?"

"_... or... she could just... keep quiet, Hisao..."_

Lilly has always been something of a social strategist. But, this? This seemed like... _this seemed wrong_.

"Lilly, are you going to say something?"

I didn't like this at all.

"_Hisao... think about this. Whatever happened between him and Hanako... it drove him into exile for a week. He didn't do that for Emi. I'm not saying that I will do anything. However... if you suggested that I should do something, then... then I would."_

This wasn't fair. Mikaru didn't deserve to have his life being manipulated like this. However... something didn't sit right with Mikaru and Emi. I'd be lying if I said that they seemed like the perfect couple. Maybe... maybe it was for the better that things end now, while... while they aren't too deep... Mikaru seemed to think about as much... and Hanako seemed to like him as well...

_- I... I hate myself. I hate myself so much. _

"... Lilly... I think... I think..."

I took a deep breath, closing my eyes and swallowing my shame.

"... _you need to say something. Rin can't... Rin can't tell Emi._"

I hung up the phone. It was warm in my hands, in contrast to the cold, moist air of the morning. It had rained last night, leaving a thick layer of dew on the ground. I felt my hands tighten, and I wanted to hurl.

_Brrm – bump, Brrm – bump, Brrm – bump, Brrm -_

I took a deep breath, willing my heart to slow down. It was something that Mikaru had taught me early on in our friendship, as a means to make sure I didn't randomly die on him while he was away. I don't think he expected me to need it so much, but it was with a mixture of pride, annoyance and shame that I noted that I had gotten good at it. When I got to the track, I saw Mikaru sitting on one of the bleachers, watching Emi as she ran. She didn't seem to notice him, so I just ran out to the track, waiting by the edge.

"You're Late, Hisao! Really Late!"

"... No, I think that you're just early!"

She laughed a bit, before her eyes moved on to the bleachers and froze. She walked over slowly, but her pace picked up as she got nearer. When she was ten feet away from them, Mikaru stood up, walking to the edge before he dropped off, crouching a bit as he hit the ground, but he stood up pretty fast.

"... Emi. I... I owe you... an apology."

She stood there, now completely oblivious to my presence. Her hands were in fists on her hips. Mikaru watched her with that same face of regret that I had seen from before.

"... Really? Ya think?"

If this weren't such a personal situation, I would have backed Mikaru up. However, this was something I had already done enough in, and if Mikaru somehow managed to fix this, then he needed to do it now, and he needed to do it himself.

"I do. I... I think I made a mistake. I... I want to own up for it."

She stomped up to him and slapped him as hard as she could.

"What's there to own up for? You left me when I was hurt. You ditched our date. You locked yourself away in your room, and I dealt with it. It's not a problem, because I am _beyond _caring."

Mikaru absorbed her words as she said them. I noticed something almost... flash, in his eyes before he sighed, looking down and speaking softly.

"... no. That... that wasn't my mistake, Emi."

She froze in place. I did as well. _Just what was happening, here?_

"_W – what?"_

Mikaru looked back up at the girl, deflating a bit as he spoke.

"Like I said, I owe you an apology. I... When I started dating you, I wasn't really ready to... to be the man you needed me to be. I don't regret our time together, but... I regret not having waited before getting involved with you. That was my mistake. I'm sorry for that. You didn't deserve that. I know... I know how much it hurt you, when I pulled away. I admit, that was a mistake as well, but... it was a mistake I had to make. I didn't have to... to hurt you, though. It was wrong. I'm... I'm sorry."

She just stood there, completely still. I don't know how long it was before she just slumped down, with her back against the bleachers. She looked _crushed._

"... I... I have to... to apologize then, too... I... I don't think I was ready to... to be the person you needed me to be. I'm... I'm sorry that I put you in... in that position."

He crouched down in front of her, catching her gaze before he spoke.

"Like I said, I don't regret being with you. While you may have not been the person I needed to love, you were the person... the person that I needed to be happy for. I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you. I've... I've grown so much, thanks to you. I think that, one day... one day, you're going to find someone that you can depend on. And when you do, I'll be happy for you. Because _you _taught me how to be dependant on myself. Thank you, for that. I think... I think I owe you something else, as well. A peace offering, of sorts."

He took off his sweater, handing it to her.

"It's... it's a running gag, really. I think I'm going to call it... '_The Kicked Puppies Sweater Cult'. _How does that sound?"

She laughed, looking up at him before taking the sweater and hugging it to her chest. She was crying, but she was smiling, too.

"I think... _I think that's an awful idea, Mikaru. _I think 'The Sweater Club' will do just fine. Is it... is it exclusive? Can _anyone with a sweater _join up?"

He laughed, extending his arm to the girl. She took it gingerly, allowing him to pull her back onto her prostheses before he spoke.

"... No, It's _very _exclusive. There's even a dress code, if you'd believe that. Only black sweaters, that _have _to be at least 4 sizes too large. Put it on."

She shrugged it over her shoulders, slipping her arms into it. It was practically a dress on her. I laughed at the sight.

"... I think... I think that could work..."

As I finished my sentence, The others started laughing as well. _Mikaru... I swear, he's got a gift for this. He'd... he'd make his mother proud, if what I've heard about her was true. _

* * *

><p>"Hey, Lilly? You haven't spoken with Rin yet, have you?"<p>

Lilly paused on the other end of the line.

"_... No, I was about to. Why? Did something happen?"_

"It did. Mikaru fixed it, but they aren't together anymore. He said that it was a mistake."

I heard Lilly gasp on the other line. I heard her take a couple of steps, before a door opening and closing it, and then she spoke.

"_He broke it off? Said it was a mistake? What exactly happened?"_

I paused, making sure that I was out of earshot on the bleachers. Mikaru and Emi were racing each other. Emi was going faster than I had ever seen her, laughing and stumbling a bit before Mikaru caught her, making sure she didn't fall.

"It seems that... Mikaru and Emi weren't ready for a relationship, both for their own reasons. Mikaru apologized, and she accepted it. He... he gave her a sweater, and they're... well, they're friends again."

Lilly was silent for a long time.

"_Do you think he means to pursue Hanako now?"_

I paused, thinking for a moment.

"... No, I don't think so. He's still not ready. I think... I think he means to finish his work before he starts thinking about that kind of stuff. I haven't had the chance to hear it, but... I think this is more than just the music to him now. Carla stormed out of his room bawling the other night, just before he came back. I think that she's been scribing his work, but it's... it's more than that to him. It could be really important."

"_So... he means... to try and cope? To heal himself before he... before he tries to..."_

"- Like I said, I don't know. All I know is, that it's really important he finishes, but also that the worst of it is over. I think... no matter what Carla said to him, he was going to come back to us when he did. Do you know what that could mean?"

"_I... I don't know. Maybe... Maybe Hanako could. -"_

"- No, Hanako can't. She won't talk about him behind his back, like... well, like we do. She... his trust is too important to her. If we want to know, we're either going to have to wait until he's ready, or... just ask him ourselves. I, for one, vote for due process."

Lilly mulled my words over. Coming to her own decision, she spoke.

"_Well, I think we have no choice, then. You know him better than anyone, after all. Even if you know less of his story, you have... insight. With all of us, but especially him."_

"You know, he may want to come to lunch today. I'm not sure, though. I think he's got a lot of bridges to mend, but... he may go to you two first. Are you ready for that?"

Lilly didn't pause.

"_You said that he needed someone to understand him. To take him back unconditionally. I agreed to do so. It's... I owe him that."_

I laughed a bit.

"You know, for friends, we sure do have _a load _of debts to each other..."

She laughed a sweet, quiet laugh.

"_That is an astute observation, Hisao. I hope you know that includes yourself, as well."_

... She was flirting? _Over the Phone?_

- Well, who am I kidding, _what does it matter?_

"- Do I now? What, pray tell, is my debt Ms. Satou?"

She giggled, her voice going down a fair bit. It was almost husky in it's tone, a very... unladylike... whisper. It was exciting.

"_... I think you know what you owe me, Hisao..."_

I chuckled, looking both ways and cupping my hand over the receiver and mouth before whispering back in a low voice.

"... I intend to _deliver, _Lilly. I don't _fold _on my debts."

She giggled madly, before stifling it and speaking clearly.

"_... Saturday. I collect Saturday."_

Holy shit. _Oh Holy shit. _

_Brrm -Bump, Brrm – Bump, Brrm – Bump -_

"_Don't be tardy, Hisao. I won't tolerate tardiness."_

_Brrm – Bump – Brrm – Bump – Brrm - _

"_... It doesn't do to keep a lady waiting, after all. Goodbye, Hisao."_

_... Click._

_BRRMBUMPBRRMBUMPBRRMBUMP -_

_BRRRM. BUMP – UP._

I fell back, clutching my chest with my right hand. My phone fell out of my now limp left hand, and I sat there looking at the sky.

_If today is the day I die, then I will die a happy man. _

I was pulled from my musings by Mikaru's iron stump, crashing down on my chest. Instantly, three things happened. First, I felt my ribs compress at an impossible angle, and then reset themselves, from the force of the blow. Next, My heart started back up instantly, beating erratically before settling into a labored but steady, slow rhythm. Finally, I felt the pain in my chest from my ribs and heart, and passed out.

* * *

><p>I woke up, feeling my chest burn in agony. My eyes opened, and I looked around. I was on the nurses' table, with the curtains closed around me. I let out a groan, and the curtains were thrown back roughly before I felt Mikaru put his arms on my shoulders.<p>

"- Just what the fuck was _that_, Hisao?! I almost had a _heart attack!_"

I looked up at him before I let out a dry, raspy chuckle, raising my weak, jelly arms to meet his shoulders. He softened a little at the touch.

"- That hurt, asshole. What was that business about a freebie before? It doesn't feel so_ free_ right now..."

Mikaru chuckled in an exasperated manner, falling backwards into his chair. The Nurse stepped through himself, looking at his clipboard before looking at me, throwing his clipboard onto the table that rested at the side of the bed.

"Ah, Hisao! You're finally awake. Well, I say 'Finally', but it's only been an hour. You still have plenty of time to rest before your first class. I must say, I'm pretty impressed. Few can say that they have survived the _'Iron Chop'!_"

He pantomimed a Karate Chop animatedly, his grin never falling off of his face. It was a little stupid, but it was the truth. Of all the moves Mikaru had used at the _Hyakunin Kumite, _his chop had become something of a legend in the martial arts community. It earned it's name from a tale of brute strength and determination, where Mikaru trained for six weeks in the mountains immediately following his release before he purposely handicapped himself at the start of the fight by snapping an Iron Girder in two with the move. As the tale goes, he went on to use his bad arm for the rest of the tournament, until his final bout when he unleashed the move onto his opponent's leg. According to the tale, the man hasn't walked _to this day._

- Of course, Mikaru neither confirmed nor denied that it was true. _Typical Mikaru._

"- Please, Nurse, don't perpetuate that tale. It wasn't as big a deal as it's been made out to be. Wait a minute, fuck that – _shouldn't you be concerned for your patient?_"

He nurse opened one of his eyes, peeping out at the disgruntled man while holding his pose. After a second, he straightened up and cleared his throat, putting his trademark smile back on and speaking to the both of us at once.

"- You're right, of course, but I can't bring myself to be that concerned. I mean, you have a _very _deft touch, Mikaru. None of his ribs are broken, although I suspect that was your intention. Your quick thinking saved his life. What's more, he should only feel a mild discomfort for a few days. It's nothing I can medicate for, so I think that it would be best if he just took it easy for a few days. You know, no unnecessary exertion, no late nights, no energy drinks -"

He looked seriously at Mikaru.

"- _Alcohol, -_"

He turned back into the center of the room, his face brightening up significantly.

"- You know, stuff like that. _No unnecessary excitement._"

He grinned, before turning away to grab his clipboard. As he reached for it, he noticed his watch. He gasped a little.

"Oh! Look at the time! I seemed to have taken a bit longer to finish than I had expected. Mr. Kanasu, would you please accompany Hisao back to class? Oh, and don't forget to stop by the grocer today and pick up those supplements I was telling you about. You need to get your body used to regular nutrients again, and I know that eating the food you have to, it's not really getting that. Ok, _shoo! _I have work to do. It was pleasant!"

He sat down at his desk, humming a little tune. With a sigh, I got up, holding my torso sorely.

"Ohhh... Hey, Mikaru? I gotta talk to you after this. Can you see me before you head out to town?"

He nodded, putting his shoulder under mine and hoisting me up. I was on my feet, and I was moving. Slowly, we walked out of the room.

* * *

><p>"Ah, welcome back, Mikaru. I trust your rest was sufficient?"<p>

Mikaru froze at the front, gasps coming from the entire class. I turned back to the rear, seeing Hanako gazing at him like he was a ghost. I frowned at that. Turning back to the front, I watched as Mikaru shook his head, and smiled widely.

"Yes, it was... It was good. I needed it. I... I kept up with the material, so I shouldn't be a problem."

Mikki was looking away, bouncing her pencil on her desk. She was still a little sore about his words and actions that day, but I suspected that Mikaru had a plan for that, so I just took my seat and watched as he paused for a moment, taking his regular seat beside Hanako.

She didn't take her eyes off of him.

I turned away then, intent on controlling my breathing and making sure that I still managed to take good notes for the lecture.

"Now, today we look into differential pressure and temperature vectors in a confined space. The first thing to know..."

The lecture was long, having a lot of unnecessary context discussion and other such things, so I managed to peek over at Mikaru and Hanako every once in a while. Every time I looked, Mikaru was staring at the front, taking mental notes of all that he was hearing, while Hanako stared at him. She wasn't even hiding it, either. Mikaru _had _to have noticed. _He had to. _

When the lecture was over, Mikaru stretched a bit before standing up, looking over to Hanako expectantly. Since this was the norm now, no once really cared. I watched, though.

Hanako froze in place, staring up at him. After a moment, Mikaru held his arm out to her. His back was turned, so I couldn't see his face, but Hanako let out a small smile, taking the stub in hers before she stood up, gathering her things and following him wordlessly out of the room. At that, I turned to look out the window, only to wince at the pain that was in my ribs.

_Nothing broken, eh? It doesn't feel that way..._

I had a bad feeling, but couldn't put a thought to it. I ignored it then, getting to writing out my questions and looking over my notes. If it were important, I'd have thought of it.

_I could swear I was forgetting something, though..._

* * *

><p>**Meanwhile, with Hanako...**<p>

Mikaru and I sat down in the library together at our usual spot, at a table just beside our beanbags. He pulled his bag onto the table, fumbling a little before he managed to get it open. He reached his arms in, pulling out the heavy computer in it before setting it down, opening it and turning it on. I however, just sat there, staring at the boy.

"... Hanako? Are you ok?"

I shook my head slowly, staring at him. I was _not _okay. Mikaru was _gone_. My friend was gone, and he was never coming -

He was kneeling down beside me, his arms on my shoulders.

"- _Hanako. I... I missed you._"

_He was there. That was him. He was okay. He came back. _

I felt tears come to my eyes.

"_Mi – Mikaru..."_

I felt him wrap his arms around me, and I wrapped mine around him too, clutching him hard as I sobbed.

"Hanako, I promised, didn't I? I came back. I'm still me. I'm here. What about you? Are you... _are you still here, too?_"

I nodded into his shoulder, not trusting myself to speak.

"_I... I missed you t – too, Mikaru..."_

He held me for a while, stroking my back. As he did, I felt warmth, _his warmth_, enter my chest again. It made me happy. Eventually, I stopped crying and he pulled away, sitting back in his chair.

"... Now, do you want to get to work?"

The question was light, spoken softly and it made me smile at just how _good _it felt to let things be the way they were.

"O – okay..."

He ran through his start – up sequence, which I had memorized by now, but his computer made a different noise than before. This one was a bit of a melody, the song it came from being strange and wispy.

"What – What's that, Mi – Mikaru? Is... is something wr – wrong with your c – computer?"

He looked over to me, a smile playing on his face.

"... No, Hanako. I figured that I needed to change some things, so I switched it around this morning. That was an excerpt from my favorite song."

"What's... what's it called? It was... it was really pretty..."

He paused, looking at me. After a moment, he looked at his computer. His face wasn't sad, like it usually looked when I asked him questions like that, but it was more... contemplating, like he was deciding something.

"Why don't... Why don't I show you?"

I nodded, blushing, but smiling anyway. I moved my chair over beside his, and he shifted over to leave me room. He rested his arms on the table, looking down for a second, before he raised his head and spoke softly.

"... Access: Open Wide – Area – Network Tool, File name IB – x128 – 0."

The computer instantly opened his internet browser, and he let out a sigh before he spoke again.

"Access: text field one: Google; return."

Google opened up a moment later, but I couldn't read it because it was in English. I recognized the logo, though.

"Access: search field: A – R – A – B – E – S – Q – U – E – Number One. Return."

He was speaking in English when he typed, so I didn't know what he was searching. After a moment, however, a new page opened up, and he scanned through the list of English results.

"Access: _The Best Of Debussy. H – Q. Full Screen._"

He waited then, turning to me as the video loaded. He spoke in Japanese again.

"This is... this is my favorite song. Back when I... when I still had hands, I would... play this, on... on the piano. It's called, 'Arabesque No. 1', by _Claude Debussy. Debussy_ is... is my favorite composer. _Listen._"

I watched him as he looked at the screen, his eyes clouding over as the video started. I watched him, listening as the first sweeping notes rang through the air. It wasn't a flashy song, like I would have expected him to like. It was... quiet, but it seemed to almost swell with emotions. It was like a roller coaster, moving up and down, left and right, slowing down and speeding up as the sounds of Mikaru's childhood swept over me. After a while of looking into the screen, I tried to imagine a young Mikaru, sitting in front of a piano, the fingers on his hands working over the keys with a delicate, insistent touch. I realized then, that it was how he touched me, whenever he did, that is. He would ease his arm down, almost rolling it as he brought it down to me. Like I was the most beautiful, delicate thing in the world, and I needed to be worked like the song. It seemed... exhilarating, thinking about it like that.

_Could he... could he ever find me... beautiful?_

I was pulled from my thoughts as the song ended and he closed his laptop, taking a deep breath with his eyes.

"Hanako, I... I hope you don't mind, but... I'm not in the mood to work after all. I think I want to go... go to the roof. Do you mind?"

I looked into his eyes, looking down at the table.

"Do... do you... do you want to... to be... alone?"

I looked up at him, and he looked in between my eyes. Both of them. It scared me a little.

"... would you like to come? It's... it's not going to..."

I nodded my head.

"I... I want to... to be with... with you, Mi – Mikaru..."

He smiled softly at me, nodding the slightest bit before he started packing away his things. I started to pack my things away as well, but stopped after a second. I had something I wanted to say, but wasn't sure if it was a good idea. However, before I could do anything about it, my mouth betrayed me again, like it always does around Mikaru.

"It... it's beautiful, Mikaru... The... the song, I... I like it, too..."

I felt myself blush, as well as Mikaru's eyes as he watched me. I willed myself to keep packing. After a short while, Mikaru started packing as well.

We finished about the same time, me only finishing moments before him. When I was finished, I stood up abruptly, standing next to him. My hip brushed his leg, and I blushed. I bent over the desk, sealing his laptop up. He stiffened a little, but he didn't stop me. I picked it up, turning to him. Holding it in front of me, he stood, sliding his shoulder through the strap as he did. When he was fully standing, I noticed with embarrassment that I had forgotten to let go, and was now pressed against him again. I let go after a moment, turning quickly.

"S – sorry, Mikaru..."

He laughed softly, more at the moment than my mistake. It made me blush, but knowing he couldn't see it made the blush go away. After I had my stuff, he waited for me to move, allowing me to lead the way to the roof. I know he didn't need my help to get there, but the thought that he was being so polite made me happy. We stepped out of the library and made our way towards the roof.

Mikaru sat with me on the bench. He had his arms behind his head, and he looked to be sleeping, but I knew that he was just enjoying the quiet. I thought for a minute, looking at him hard before I opened my mouth.

"So... are... do you want to... to come... to lunch... with me?"

Mikaru looked at me, frowning a little. He shook his head and spoke.

"I'd like to, but I... I have to go to the music room today. I need to apologize to some more people before the day is done, and there's more people to apologize to there."

I looked down, saddened by the news.

"Oh..."

He smiled, putting his arm softly under my chin to draw my gaze to his. I looked at his eyes, and he spoke.

"I think... I think I owe you an apology as well, Hanako. More than one, actually. I..."

He paused, thinking for a moment. I raised my right hand to meet his arm, pulling it a little to my shoulder.

"It's – It's ok, Mikaru... I... I know that you... that you didn't mean what you said..."

He frowned, shaking his head. Looking past me at the concrete for a second, he locked his eyes to mine, determinedly.

"... Well, that's not exactly true, Hanako. I... I was confused, that day, but... not about what I said to you. I meant what I said to you. I want to... to see you grow. I just want to... to be there, when you do. I don't want you to think that... that I'm just going to... to disappear one day, forever. I also don't want you... to do that to me."

My hand on his arm tightened, and my heart sped up in my chest. These words were important, and I didn't want to miss a single thing.

"I just... You are one of my best friends, Hanako. I don't pick favorites, but... if I... if I had to, then... I think I'd pick you. You've taught me so much, I... You are an amazing person, even if you think you aren't. When you said that you wanted to... to go away, I couldn't... I couldn't handle that. You're... you're special to me, and... and I just wanted you to know that."

My heart felt like it was trying to break out of my chest. My hands were numb, and I wanted to cry.

_I'm special to him? Amazing? His Favorite?_

"... _Really? You... you mean that?_"

He nodded at me and I felt my hand on his arm loosen. I brought the appendage down, resting it in my lap on my other hand. I looked at the sight, his arm resting between my hands, for a small while before looking up at him, and trying to speak.

"I... I think... I think I -"

My phone rang in my pocket, completely shattering my confidence and concentration. I snapped my arms away from him, fumbling until I got my hands on my phone and picked it up. It was Hisao.

"He – Hello, Hisao?"

"_Hey, Hanako. Is Mikaru with you? I need to speak with him, immediately, but I can't find him anywhere."_

I looked at the boy to my left, who was watching me expectantly. I nodded, pressing the phone to his ear.

"Kanasu. Hisao, what do you need?"

I couldn't hear what was being said, but Mikaru seemed to look oddly amused at what Hisao was saying. He had a wicked grin on his face, but it wasn't cocky like the grin that he usually wore around the others. It looked... genuine. I felt a twinge of jealousy flare in my heart for the boy, wishing that I could make him act like that.

"... Yeah, that's uh... _That's a problem._ We can't... _In person, _Hisao. I'll meet you at the Library as soon as I can. Hang up."

I took the phone back slowly, closing it and putting it back in it's place. I looked at him, trying to build my confidence again but he got up, breaking it once more.

"Hey, Hanako. I really want to hear this, but Hisao's having an emergency. It's not life threatening; or, let me rephrase that: _It's nothing that a girl needs to concern herself with._ Yeah, that's better. Can I talk to you after school?"

I lowered my gaze, feeling crestfallen at his sudden need to leave, but I spoke anyway.

"Okay, Mikaru..."

He paused, kneeling down in front of me, catching my gaze. I turned my eyes away, not wanting to look at him right now. He put his arm on my shoulder.

"Hey, Hanako. This _is _really important to me. If it's a good idea to say now, it'll still be a good idea tonight, or tomorrow, or whenever you're ready to. Ok?"

I looked at him, blushing. I _really _wanted to kiss him. _I really wanted to kiss him._

... But I didn't.

"Okay, Mikaru."

He smiled at my steady speech, and it made me feel good again. He was right. No matter what it was, there would always be time to say it later. I knew that he'd be waiting for me, and I knew that he'd listen to whatever it was.

* * *

><p>**With Hisao...**<p>

"- I knew that I was forgetting something! What am I supposed to do?"

I paced back and forth in front of Mikaru, who was looking at me with an amused glint in his eyes.

"You need to calm down, man. I can't be sure I won't _actually_ break your ribs this time..."

I looked at him, glaring, before I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and calmed my heart down. Opening my eyes again, I sat on the purple beanbag, looking at him.

"Seriously, man. I don't know what to do! I can't let Lilly know that I had a heart attack! She's going to freak!"

He laughed, looking at me seriously for a minute.

"... So? How can I help you? You had a heart attack at the thought of..."

He looked around, making sure no one was in earshot, before leaning close to me.

"... at the thought of having sex with her. I had to save you. It's what happened. You've gotta tell her. Or, just don't speak. That last one would be difficult, though."

I put my hands in my hair. Unexpectedly, he let out a dark chuckle.

"What's up, Mikaru? Something the matter?"

He looked at me for a second, a half – bitter grin on his face.

"... That's why I shave it, Hisao. My hair. No temptation, you know? It... it makes the days a little easier. I used to love running my hands through my hair when I was thinking."

I smiled at him, knowing full – well that the last thing he wanted me to say was that I was sorry for him.

"Heh, when you put it like that, it makes a lot of sense. Even if you had hands. At least you use less crap in the morning..."

"- I know! It saves me money, time, and I can – Well, I can't _actually_ do it myself, but... I mean, I barely need a buzzer, even! I still own one, though. _Man's best friend. _No dog can beat the reliability of a well – maintained buzzer, Hisao. You'll understand when you have more hair."

"Oh, screw you Stubbs. Seriously, though..."

He looked seriously at me for a second, before he spoke.

"... One time. _One. Time, Hisao. _That is _all _you will get from me. Let's go."

Before I knew what he was doing, he stood up, turning on his heel before stomping out of the room. I followed quickly, surprised at his aggressive gait. It only took us thirty seconds, but when we reached the tea room, he stopped. He took a deep breath, and opened the door.

"... Lilly. It's Mikaru. Hisao is with me, walking behind me."

She turned her head to him, a calming smile on her face.

"Welcome back, Mikaru... _Hisao._"

I walked over to her, and went to take a seat. I winced and hissed when I sat down, though, starting to wheeze a bit before I got settled down.

"Hi – Hisao! Are you all right? What happened?"

She was concerned, her hands immediately coming to my arm and holding me tight. I was about to speak, but Mikaru beat me to the punch.

"Heh, It's nothing to be worried about, Lilly. Just a couple bruised ribs, is all."

She frowned, her head turning in my direction seriously.

"Hisao... did you -"

"- Oh, no. Hisao was taking a break on the bleachers during our run today, but fell off. He landed on his stomach. His ribs are a little tender, but they should go back to normal before the week is out."

Her head turned to the boy, as did mine. _That was... that was a lie! He LIED to her! Not just a bit of misinformation, but a full – blown FABRICATION!_

"Oh, is that all? That's... that's a relief... I thought that he'd..."

She trailed off, turning her head to me. She spoke quietly, although for various reasons, the action was moot.

"Will you... will you be okay, for... for our plans?"

She was frowning, but I decided that I was going to _make good _on the only lie that Mikaru would _ever _tell on my account.

"Well, I'm hurting now, but... it gets better all the time. It's... it's already feeling better, actually. Nurse says, as long as I rest, I should be okay by Friday."

She smiled then, her tense shoulders relaxing a little.

"Good... I was... I was worried, for a moment there..."

Mikaru cleared his throat, and Lilly turned to him blushing a little.

"Oh, Mikaru, I'm – I'm sorry. I almost forgot you were here..."

Mikaru laughed his disarming smile, putting his real dazzle back on.

"Oh, don't worry about it. It's... it's nice to see Hisao so happy for once..."

She blushed, grabbing me a little tighter. I smiled up at my friend's kind words.

"- Actually, though, it'll only take me a second here. I just came to let you know that I was, well, _alive,_ and that I had, well... I'm doing okay. I would have liked to stay with you and get caught up, but I still have to... well, to make some more apologies. You... _You understand, right Lilly?_"

Lilly smiled, nodding her head.

"I'm glad you're back, Mikaru. We've all missed you very much. I know it was important to you, though. I understand what you did. Now go, apologize to the others. We can speak more tonight, I hope?"

He smiled widely at the girl's words. Mikaru was having a rough day, and this was just the pick – me – up he needed.

"Sure thing, Lilly. I have to run some errands in the town, but I'd like that. I'll... I'll see you two later. Hisao, remember..."

He looked at me expectantly, mouthing the words 'You owe me!'. It made me laugh.

"Right, Mikaru. I got this. Go, before it gets sappy."

He laughed at my cover, turning around and leaving. Lilly looked a little confused, but _like hell _was I about to tell her that I had my friend going condom shopping for me, or that I _actually_ keeled over and _died_ today. No, that could wait until forever came, as far as I was concerned.

* * *

><p>**With Mikaru...**<p>

Lunch was over in twenty five minutes. Mikki was probably in the music room already, seeing as that's what the musicians do in high school. I took a deep breath before I opened the door, walking in to the room. Two or three heads raised at my entry, but no one commented. I scanned the room, finding Mikki in the back by the percussion. I walked up the sloped floor, making my way over to her. She seemed to be absorbed in her checks of one of the timpani sets, so my quiet approach was unnoticed by her. She seemed to be examining the drum, trying to find a problem. I instantly noticed what she was looking for, her problem being a loose screw on the rear corner of the head. I decided to just stay quiet, letting her work. After a minute of searching however, she gave an exasperated sigh, standing up in a huff.

"Hey, Mikki. Having troubles?"

She turned at my voice, frowning when she saw it was me.

"Oh, uh... Hi... Kanasu... it's – it's nothing. I can handle it. I'm – I'm actually a little busy now, so..."

She turned away, studying the head with a little more fervor. She was now systematically scanning over each piece. It was a good thing to do, but I had already done that, so decided to save her the trouble.

"It's, uh... top right corner. About 2 o-clock? Four from the rear center screw."

She paused, looking at the screws in that area. She let out a huff, screwing it in place with her hand before turning back to me.

"I guess... _I guess I'm not busy anymore..._"

I chuckled a bit, looking down and crossing my arms.

"I suppose you aren't. I, uh... well..."

She put her hand and stump on her hips, staring at me with a raised brow.

"I'm, uh... I wanted to apologize to you. About the other week."

She crossed her arms, her face staying in the same position it was in before.

"You were... you were only trying to help me, and I threw it in your face. It was... it was a dick move. You didn't deserve that."

"... anything else?"

I thought for a second, putting my stump to my chin.

"OH! I probably pissed the teacher off _royally_ when I gave her the business. That was on you, too..."

She uncrossed her arms.

"'Probably'? I was in detention. _That whole week. _I thought you said you were ready? Why'd you go all 'crazy musician – but – not musician' on her?"

I looked at her, raising my brow.

"I'm... I'm afraid I don't follow... "

"- You know, pretending to be Michael Souta. Giving out all that bullshit advice? Nobody took you seriously, you know. It's not funny to lie about something like that."

I balked at her.

"You... _you think I was lying?_"

She paused, her hands frozen by her sides.

"... yeah; the kid died years ago."

I put my arms down at my sides. This was_ unbelievable. _Of all the ways I thought this was going to go, _this wasn't one of them. _

"How'd you really lose your hands, anyway? I think you owe me that much. You know, for getting me in shit."

"... Mikki. For the sake of what you've done for me, I'm going to say this as nicely as I can."

I walked over to her, crossing my arms in front of my chest.

"- I was thrown in Prison by the man who took my hands, because he lied, and said that I tried to rape somebody. It is for that reason that, until today, I have _never _lied. And the _one time _I did, it was for someone else's sake, _not _my own sick pride. _I am _a musician. _I am _Michael Souta. _I was beaten and slashed to ribbons by twelve men._ I am _not, _however, dead. You would do _very well _to heed my advice in the future, because your performance was amateur and sloppy, and it is unbecoming of the other men and woman that piece was written for. You may not believe me. _I don't give a shit what you think. _One day, very soon, I will _have_ my paperwork. I will _have _my name back. On that day, _you will eat your words._"

I turned on my heel, stomping away. I didn't even look back as I spoke to her.

"... I'm putting on a concert, soon. I'll forward an invitation. Until then... _I'm not going to deal with this shit._"

I opened the door, storming through the hallways. I turned the corner, finding an empty classroom. I walked in, finding a seat near the front and setting my head on top of my stubs. I know that she was right to be angry at me. What I did, however _right _it felt at the time, was wrong. I thought _she was different, though! _Why did it have to be _her _who said those things? The person who was so crucial in my journey to take my life back?

"Mikaru?"

I looked over to find Carla, standing beside me with her bag over her shoulder. She looked concerned.

"... Hi, Carla."

"- I believed you, you know."

I straightened up, looking at the girl.

"... When you spoke, in the class and on the roof, I believed you. I did what you told me to, even. With the trumpet and the research. I haven't... I haven't made a mistake since."

I smiled a little at the girl, feeling touched by her kind words.

"Mikki was... was right, though. The others... they laughed at you... at me, for believing you. I think there was only one or two people who took what you said seriously. They got better, too. It's... it's mostly the teacher's fault. She has them... _brainwashed, _into thinking she's the... the greatest thing _under the sun, _and they can't see just how... how stupid she is!"

Carla was clenching her hands by her sides, her face red. I sighed, turning to her.

"... I owe you an apology as well, Carla. I... I seriously mistreated you. You didn't deserve to hear me say those things to you. What's more, I had you worried sick, and – and forced you watch while I slipped away. I'm... I'm really sorry. I don't think it's enough, but I have to say it."

She smiled at me, pulling me to my feet before giving me a hug.

"I know, Mikaru. I forgive you. That's... that's the next part, isn't it? Forgiveness. It has to come next, or... or you wouldn't be here now, right?"

I smiled, looking down at the sweet girl who gave me so much for so little.

"... I believe... I believe that is correct, Carla. However, I am a little busy tonight. I have missed a lot of errands, and I need to attend to them. Would you like to... to resume this tomorrow?"

She looked both ways, scanning the door for a moment, before dragging me into the corner of the room.

"I... I brought the music with me. I took it off of your desk, so I could read it tonight and try to... try to hear it. What if... what if we just stayed here, and worked on it... until you have to leave? This room is empty until the end of the day."

I smiled at the girl, nodding my assent.

"Hah. Look at me, I've turned you into a truant. All right, Carla. You win. Let's get to work. Part... Carla. I have a question that needs answering before we start."

She looked at me over her papers, raising a brow.

"Who's – who's the best pianist in the school right now?"

She paused, setting her pencil down, before closing her eyes and sighing.

"According to the teacher? Her."

"- You know that's not what I'm asking, though. Who is it really?"

She looked down to the side, blushing.

"Well... it's... I guess I am. I showed her what I could do, but – but she put me on the trumpet instead..."

_The... the teacher tried to smother her talent..._

I got angry at this. Very angry.

"Do you have one? When – When's the last time you practised?"

She looked off into the corner.

"It was... well, Christmas, I guess..."

"- _That's unacceptable._ Do you have a phone?"

She raised her brow at me, before pulling her phone out and swiping the screen. It came to life, and she placed it in front of me.

"- It's an Iphone. You can speak to it, and it will do what you want. Just say 'Siri', followed by a command."

I used my stub to tap the screen, seeing a microphone show up.

"Siri: Place a call to the nearest music store."

After a moment, the phone picked up and an Elderly woman picked up.

"_Hello? This is the Yamaku Music Shop!"_

"Hello, My name is Kanasu Mikaru. Do you have any Electric Pianos in stock?"

The girl beside me gasped, putting a hand to her mouth.

"_We have a couple in the store right now. What's your price range?"_

"Price isn't a concern. I need the best one you have. Can you have it delivered to Yamaku Academy by tonight? I can pay over the phone."

"Mikaru, you don't need to -"

"_... Alright. Can I have your information?"_

I didn't stop, relating my information to the woman. After a minute, she came back on the line.

"_Okay, that's that. It'll be there in two hours. Thanks for shopping Yamaku Music!"_

I hung up, and looked at the girl. Her eyes were wide with disbelief, her hand clamped over her mouth and tears running down her face.

"... I will not sit by and watch as someone's talent gets stifled. It's... it's a gift. You believed in me when no one else did. You gave me my music back... now, I'm giving you yours, too."

She threw her arms around my neck. I held her, chuckling.

"It – it was my birthday yesterday, you know. This is... this is the best birthday present I've _ever received._ Thank you, _so so _much!"

She pulled away, smiling at me. I laughed, pointing to the paper.

"Ok, you're welcome. Now, are we doing this?"

"- Hey! That's _my _line!"

She smiled at me from over the paper, and I shook my head with mirth before closing my eyes, listening to the music in my head, and relating it to the girl. Two hours later, the bell rang, and we left.

When I got to the gate, the truck was waiting for me. I smiled, watching as Carla opened the gate anxiously. She watched as an old, slightly fat man rolled out of the truck, waddling over to them.

"Hey, are you Kanasu?"

I nodded, smiling.

"I need you to sign for this."

I gestured with my stub at the girl beside me, and the man just stared for a second before handing her the clipboard. She looked at me, signing my name, before handing it back to the man. He examined it closely before nodding and turning back to me.

"Can I see some ID before I offload this? Precaution, of course."

I nodded, pulling out my wallet and showing him my student ID card. He looked back and forth briefly before he chuckled a bit.

"- You're a student? Coulda fooled me..."

I walked with her to the back of the truck, watching as a beautiful, matte – black keyboard was wheeled to the back, before I helped receive it at the bottom. I looked at the two men before point at Carla, speaking.

"This is for her. Can you please follow her to her room? She'll tell you where to put it. Here."

I gave them a 5000 yen note each. They took them, looking back at me with a smile.

"- For your trouble. Get yourselves something nice."

They nodded, putting them into their respective wallets before I turned to Carla.

"Hey, Carla, can you handle this? I need to head out now. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

She wrapped her arms around my neck, kissing me on the cheek before pulling away and blushing.

"I... I can, Mikaru. Thank – Thank you. It's... it's beautiful..."

I laughed, spinning on my heel and walking down the hill towards the town. I threw a wave over my shoulder.

* * *

><p><em>Well, I just blew $ 15,000.00 on a girl I just met. Wow, I'm awesome. Or really snobby. Oh well; what does it matter. It felt good!<em>

I walked around town with a shit – eating grin on my face, noting with amusement that my grin was infectious.

"Oh, Hey Mikaru! Glad I caught you."

I turned around, seeing Hisao and Lilly walking around together. Hanako was at their flank, and it made me laugh.

"Hey, guys. What's up?"

Hisao looked at the bag on my shoulder. I wondered what he was concerned about, before laughing a bit. It was awkward, but it did the trick.

"Oh, _that. _Don't worry, Hisao. Your surprise is already at the school; I know a guy."

He looked at me suspiciously. Hanako walked up to me then, smiling. She was wearing the sweater I gave her.

"Hey, Mi – karu... You look... look really... good, today."

I smiled at her, crossing my arms before speaking.

"Do I? I should; I just blew 1.4 on a piano."

She gasped at the amount, as did the other two.

"Mikaru, you did _what? _1.4 _Million_ yen?"

I laughed, looking at Hisao.

"Oh, it wasn't for _me _of course. It was for Carla."

Hisao's jaw dropped. Lilly spoke.

"Why did... why did you buy her a piano? And, that expensive, too..."

"Oh, because she plays. And she didn't have one. Oh, and she's not an utter bitch. _That really helped._"

The last part made Lilly frown, and Hisao immediately spoke.

"- Mikaru? Did something happen today?"

I looked at him before speaking.

"... yeah. Do you – you guys wanna go to the _Shanghai_ and talk about it? It's been _sooo_ long since I ate a nice meal..."

They all smiled at my words. Lilly spoke up again, keeping her smile on her face.

"- We were actually hoping we'd run into you for that reason. Join us, Mikaru."

I smiled, looking to Hanako, holding my arm out.

"I'm game. Here Hanako, would you do me the honours? I'm a little jealous of Hisao and Lilly over there."

She blushed, but took my arm. As we walked in silence, I couldn't help but notice how Hanako seemed to just slightly brush my arm with her head. I looked at her for a moment, before I brought up my other arm and lightly pressed her head into my arm. She blushed at my actions, but when I resumed walking, she kept her head solidly on my arm.

After ten minutes, we arrived at the _Shanghai. _There were only a few people here today, but Yukko The Librarian wasn't a waitress at the moment. We were met by a young girl with black hair, a dazzling smile, and a fair bust. She was looking at me with a glint in her eyes.

"Hey there, welcome to the _Shanghai. _Please, feel free to take a seat anywhere you'd like; I'll be around in a moment to get you settled in."

She cast me another glance before she turned away to the kitchen, busying herself with finding menus and other things. I looked down at Hanako, who seemed to loosen her grip a little and frowned. She didn't notice me though. She seemed to be watching the waitress.

Not at all happy with the strange mood that came up, I took the initiative, waving Hisao over to a spot in the corner that was tucked away from prying ears. We took a seat, with Hanako electing to sit by the window, and Hisao on the other side of the table from us sitting by the window as well. Lilly seemed oblivious to the off mood however, so she tucked herself happily into Hisao's side. I took that as my cue to think, trying to sort some things out.

_Ok, the usual waitress is out today. That's ok, though. She has a lot of stuff going on, and I wouldn't be surprised if she were still at the Library. I think that waitress is trying to stake a claim on me; I wouldn't care, but it's bothering Hanako, so that won't do. I can't ask Hisao for help, because if I'm wrong, then we just look like asses, and I don't want to drag him into this. What to do, What to do?_

Just then, the waitress came back, setting out menus down in front of us. My menu came down just a little more slowly than the others, and she seemed to turn in my direction as well, her already low-cut shirt hanging loose. _Well, that's a smart move. I think I'm in trouble._

"Alright, aaaand... Here we _go! _Okay, so before you order, would you like me to get you some tea? We have a great deal on a nice Jade brew that just came in today..."

She looked at me expectantly, but thankfully Lilly came to my rescue, albeit unknowingly.

"Why, that sounds lovely. Do you think we could have a pot of that? I suspect we'll be here a while."

_... Well, that almost worked. Oh well, I think I can manage._

The waitress turned to Lilly, smiling. Lilly's eyes were closed, so the waitress might not know she is blind.

"Sure thing! I'll be back in five minutes, then."

She turned around, making sure to turn in my direction and look at me again before turning away, heading back over to the kitchen. After she left, Hanako seemed to completely let go of me, tucking herself into the corner. She had her eyes downcast on the table, and it made me frown.

I didn't get to do much thinking on the matter, though. Hisao gave me a nod, and leaned over into Lilly's ear, whispering covertly for a moment. She opened her eyes at the news, before giggling behind her hand a bit. She raised her head, pointing it in my general direction. I coughed a bit, and her head locked onto mine. She kicked me a bit under the table, and turned her head to the side.

"Help?"

My voice was barely a whisper, but Lilly heard it. Hanako seemed to stiffen at my word as well, but did nothing else. Lilly smiled, before turning her body back into Hisao, closing her eyes again. As she did, the waitress came back, glancing over the rest of the party before looking back at me, pouring my cup first.

"Alright, here you go. Now, while I do this, do you know what you want yet, or do you need some more time?"

I looked at the waitress, who managed to maintain eye contact with me even as she poured the other cups. She didn't even spill _a drop. _

"I, uh... I think I'd like some tempura. Just, whatever, you know? Throw it into a basket or something."

I looked away, still a little disgruntled over my earlier encounter. Thinking for a moment, I raised my arms from my sides, placing them onto the table. She seemed to get distracted for a moment, so she managed to spill a bit onto the table. Hisao's hand pulsed, unseen by the waitress, and Lilly recoiled, clutching her hand.

"Ow!"

The waitress broke eye contact, noticing her blunder, and blushing a bit. Of course, Lilly's hands weren't on the table while she was pouring, but I almost laughed a bit at the whole thing.

"Oh, did I do that? I'm very sorry. Here, would you like some extra napkins?"

For the moment, she was in full waitress mode, completely forgetting about me. It made me happy, and gave me a chance to look over at Hanako. I lowered by arm to the seat, nudging Hanako with it. She looked up at me, almost a little dazed. I leaned over to the girl, taking a moment to whisper to her.

"... Would you like me to sit a little closer, Hanako?"

She seemed to blush a bit, but nodded faintly anyhow. I smiled, scooting over a bit, allowing her to draw herself up along me, her taking hold of my arm once more. After that, the waitress returned, a notepad, pen, and napkins in tow. She wiped up her spilled tea, before properly filling Lilly's cup, Placing the napkins in the center, and drawing up her notepad, writing a bit.

"Sorry about that, I seem to be having a bit of an off – day. Alright, I have assorted Tempura so far; What will you be having, Miss?"

She looked at Hanako, who seemed to shrink a bit into my arm before she spoke. Her voice was very quiet, and she stuttered a fair bit.

"I'd – I'd L – like what – what Mikaru is... is having..."

She wrote it down glancing at me when she was finished before slowly turning to Hisao, who glanced over the menu.

"... I think I'll have some... Beef yakisoba. Lilly, what would you like?"

"... I think, for today, I would enjoy some of the usual, Hisao."

"All right, So that's a platter of sandwiches."

The Waitress quickly wrote, glancing at the two of them before turning to me.

"Okay, I think I have it all. I'll be back shortly."

She turned from us, walking over to another table. She was busy taking orders there, so I took it as an opportunity to pay more attention to my friends. I noticed, with amusement, that Hisao was dipping another napkin into his tea, while Lilly was letting her 'burnt' hand rest against the side of the cup in – between sips. The heat made it a painful – looking red, but Lilly didn't flinch. Hanako, on the other hand, was an entirely different story.

She seemed to be dreadfully uncomfortable right now, starting to pull away again. As she put her hands on the table, though, I had an idea. I turned a little into her, placing my arm on the table in front of hers. Lilly seemed to notice my adjustment, but didn't turn away from her task of tricking the Waitress. Hisao glanced up from what he was doing a moment before bringing a toothpick down on my arm. He pricked it, and used the next napkin he was prepping to capture the tiniest bit of blood, before he pulled it away. He then scrunched them together a bit, and left them on the table. He looked up to me, mouthing the words 'Meal Ticket!'. I nodded, turning back to Hanako. She was staring at my stub, her hands twitching a bit. I moved it a little closer, taking my other arm slowly along her back, pulling her into me. When I did, her hands snatched my arm almost greedily, her fingers finding a comfortable position before she started to settle down.

"Is that better, Hanako?"

She shifted her knees so they were adjacent to mine, nodding her head before using her other hand to take a sip of her tea.

"Y – yes... Mi – Mikaru..."

She was blushing, but I knew she was just a little embarrassed and didn't really mind the position. Hisao looked up at us, before smiling and putting his arm around Lilly's shoulders.

"So, Mikaru, what happened today?"

I looked up at him before sighing heavily, pulling my arms away from Hanako and grabbing my cup between my stubs, taking a sip. The Jade was a very soothing blend, having a lot more flavour than I had expected it to. It may very well be my new favorite.

"_Oh, that's nice_... Right, the story. Well, as you know, just before I started work on my concert I went with... Mikki... to the music room."

Hanako's arms tightened around mine, and the others straightened up, alarmed at my tone.

"... While I was there, I had found out that they were doing a piece that was... familiar to me. You see, I haven't always been known as Kanasu Mikaru. There was a time when I went by a different name."

I paused, looking at the others.

"... Before I was in prison... Before I lost my hands... I was known as Michael Souta, and I was a famous Child Prodigy."

Lilly gasped, putting her hands on the table and leaning in.

"You're... you're kidding! _You're_ Michael Souta?"

Hisao looked at me strangely, glancing back and forth between me and Lilly.

"... some days, I wish it was a joke. No, I am Michael Souta. The music class was doing my piece. I sat in and watched. Afterwards, I... I got a little carried away, and I cussed out the teacher. I summoned the others from the class onto the roof, the ones who were having troubles, and tried to help them improve. After that... well, and other things... Carla Simpson came to me, and I coerced her into helping me write it. I was... not very kind to her. I'm a little ashamed of it all, to be honest. So, I went in today to apologize to Mikki, and..."

Hanako spoke up.

"And... what... what happened?"

I took a deep breath, and was about to speak, but noticed the Waitress coming back, her arms laden with food. She divvied it up, casting a furtive glance at Hanako clinging to my arm, before turning away swiftly, muttering to herself.

"Mikki... Mikki told me that... that she, and most of the other musicians, thought I was full of shit, and that I should apologize to her for lying about who I was, and what happened to me."

The table was deathly quiet. I felt Hanako shaking a little bit, her grip on me becoming tighter.

"... So, I told her, in no uncertain terms, that she would do well to listen to me, and that when I had my concert, she could come."

Lilly relaxed a little at that, taking a bite of her food before she turned her head to me.

"... I think you didn't do enough. I know how much lying bothers you, Mikaru. If it were me, in your position..."

Hisao smacked his fist on the table.

"- I'd say; I'm amazed that you didn't _sock _her for what she said!"

Hanako was still shaking, and I noticed that she was taking this _much worse _than the others.

"... I know. I wanted to, you know. The fact of the matter is, I can't afford to. If I mess up here, then I'm finished. I don't get a second chance, or a slap on the wrist. I'm going to be 19 soon, and if I did something like that, I can guarantee you that I would be tried as an adult, and sentenced accordingly."

They all seemed to lose their fire at my words.

"... I suppose... I suppose a figurative slap in the face would be the only thing you _could _do, even _if _you had hands..."

I smiled at the girl's words, which were a mixture of bitchy, polite, and a little bit snarky.

"- You'd be right. So, for now, I'd like for us to think of that matter as 'dealt with', and move on. Ne?"

They all seemed to nod, and Hanako loosened up a little. After that, we started to eat, Hanako taking the initiative and feeding me. With the size of the tempura, I figured I could feed myself, but it was just too nice a thing to deny. After a half an hour, we were laughing again, and after an hour, Hisao and I managed to start a conversation.

"... So, Mikaru looks at the teacher, and says 'This? _This is progress, Mutou._' Straight – faced! I couldn't believe it!"

I laughed at the fond memory, and Lilly laughed as well. Hanako giggled a bit, and I settled back, allowing her to give me another piece of food.

"I – I know! But I swear, it only – _it only gets better! _Mutou was _not _happy, and was about to stop the move, but Mikaru launches into this long – winded, passionate speech about freedom, normalcy and said 'would you _truly_ deny me this happiness?', and Mutou – Mutou – Haha, he was all like, '_I have no hope for the human race_' and walked away!"

Lilly laughed, and started talking.

"So, how – how was it? I've never really gotten the chance to explore it, myself..."

Hanako seemed to perk up at the words as well, paying attention. I looked to Hisao, who seemed to be commanding the conversation.

"Oh, well... It's sweet. He's got this amazing little 'bachelor pad' thing going on in there, with a ridiculous entertainment system, the most comfortable couch I've ever sat in, _ever_, and he's even got a microwave! A _Microwave! _I eat all my ramen in there. Some nights, we just sit back with a beer or two, and -"

_Oh, fuck off, Hisao. Really? Alcohol? You talked about the alcohol?_

"- Beer? Mikaru, _how are you getting alcohol onto the campus?_"

Lilly leaned over to me conspiratorially. _She's... she's interested? Not pissed – off royally at me? Huh._

"- Oh, I uh, _I know a guy -_"

"- Screw that, Mikaru. You've been saying that since I met you, about everything. _Who is it?_"

Hanako looked up at me, questioningly, and I looked at the others, who were leaning close to me. _They aren't going to let this go, are they? Shit._

"- Look, I'll tell, ok? You _cannot _say a word though. _Not a damn word. _You hear me?"

They all nodded, and I looked around, leaning into the table before sighing, and looking up.

"... It's the Nurse."

They just gawked at me.

"_- Nurse? _Nurse is your connection? How in the _hell _did you pull _that _off?_"_

Lilly looked _very _interested. So, I gave another sigh, and told them.

"Heh... Well, you see, Nurse is fairly new here, right? I knew that too, so I started asking him questions on my first check – up. Turns out, he's still in school, studying to become a professor of medical sciences. So, basically, I get there on the first day, he sees me, and loses his shit. Turns out, he's a _huge fan of me. _You know, ' 'The Iron Wolf', who defeated a hundred enemies with no hands?' I was the youngest person in the world _ever_ to complete the _Hyakunin Kumite_, and he noticed how large my arms were. So, I cut him a deal. Basically, because I got the shit so _royally _kicked out of me when I was little, my body reacted by increasing my metabolism, doing two things. Firstly, I got a mild case of Hypoglycemia, which means I have to eat a lot or I'll go nuts and pass out. I actually nibble a lot during the day, but it's always on my own, so I usually go unnoticed. The other part, however, is a little more interesting."

They were all engrossed in my tale, so I paused for dramatic effect.

"... Have you ever heard of 'Wolf's Law'? It's a medical phenomenon where a bone heals up stronger with every subsequent break. Apparently, according to him, I do that twice as much as the average human being. So, I'm kind of like a superhero, I guess?"

They laughed at my joke, and I did as well.

"- No, not really. I am, however, exactly the kind of thing he needs to get recognized in the scientific community. Because of my condition, I can help him get much more accurate readings on bone density and other such things, as well as me just being a unique case in the first place. So, I struck a deal. I told him, on paper, that he could use his case notes for me in his research, in return for a line. It's the kind of thing that you do in prison, you know. You find the connection, and you work the feed. That's all there is to it, really."

Hisao was looking at me, a little baffled.

"... Hey, Mikaru? Whaddaya say we, uh... well, we go back to the dorms now? I'm pretty tired."

Lilly perked up at this.

"- Yes, that seems like a good Idea, Hisao. Hanako, would you like -"

"- Yes."

I looked over at the girl, smiling a little.

"- Well, if it's got Hanako so excited, then how can I refuse?"

She looked up at me, her jaw slightly open, blushing a bit.

"S – sorry..."

"It's all right, Hanako. I enjoyed this. I do have a fair bit to do, after all. I'll see you guys off at the dorms."

* * *

><p>End of Chapter Twenty – Three: Behind These Bars, The Consequence of Inaction!<p>

Next Time! Chapter Twenty – Four: Behind These Bars, Hanako's Bravery!


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter Twenty – Four: Behind These Bars, Hanako's Bravery!  
><strong>

* * *

><p>It was dark by the time they got back. Hisao and Mikaru had decided to walk the girls back to their dorms, parting ways at Hanako's room. Mikaru turned to Hanako.<p>

"So, Hanako. Will I see you tomorrow?"

She looked at the boy staring at him for a minute before she grabbed his arm, opening her door and pulling him in slowly. He didn't fight her, but got concerned after she locked the door behind her.

"Hanako? Is everything all right?"

She turned to him, approaching him slowly.

"Mikaru... I... I want to... to show you something."

She reached slowly for her sweater, pulling it off. Mikaru was a little worried.

"Yeah, ok, Hanako. What – What is it?"

She folded the sweater in her hands, setting it down on her chair. After that, she turned to him.

"I... I want to... to show you... my... my scars..."

She reached for the top of her blouse, but Mikaru walked up to her then, putting his arms on her shoulders.

"Hanako, why do you want to show me?"

She paused, her hands frozen by her chest.

"Be – Because... You... you already showed me... yours... You've... you've shown me so – so much of yourself, and... and it's not... it's not fair..."

She went to move her hands again, but Mikaru's arms stopped her, resting his wrists on her hands.

"Hanako... you don't have to show me your scars. I've... I already know that... that you're beautiful."

Mikaru kept his eyes locked on hers. She couldn't look away from his gaze.

"W – what did you – what did you say?"

"I said that I don't have to see you naked to know that you're beautiful, Hanako."

She pushed her arms up, reaching behind his head. She was _going _to kiss this boy, and dammit, he was going to let her. The force of her jump pushed Mikaru backwards, making him land on her bed. Her legs came to rest on either side of his, and her hands were still behind his head, holding onto the base of his skull. His arms were on her hips, pulling her into him. As their chests met, they froze, inches away from each others' face. They gazed at each other, wide eyed as their faces came closer and closer together. Their hearts were racing in their chests, and after an agonizingly long moment, their lips met.

Hanako's eyes closed the moment she felt Mikaru's lips on hers. His stayed open a millisecond longer, before he closed them, bringing his arm up between them to rest on her cheek as they kissed. This was, by far, the best kiss Mikaru had ever been a part of. It was Hanako's first, and she was enjoying it greatly. Her hands moved down from his neck to his chest, feeling the muscled plane before scrunching her fingers up in his sweater. Mikaru, at that moment, wanted nothing more than to be able to run his fingers through her hair, but even that thought couldn't bring him down.

As the beating in her chest became unbearable, Hanako pulled away, staring at him for a second. He was looking right back at her, a smile on his face. After a moment, he brought his arms behind her, resting his right stub on the back of her head, pulling Hanako into his chest. Her hands were still on his chest, scrunched in his sweater. As she felt him, holding her, his heart still pumping madly, she felt the biggest smile she's ever had growing on her face.

"Mikaru... I... I..."

He squeezed her a little tighter, his chin touching the top of her head.

"That was... that was really good, Hanako..."

Her hands slid down his chest, her arms brushing past his sides and wrapping around his torso. They stayed like that for a long time, just being content with holding each other and listening to the sounds of the room. After a while though, Mikaru pulled away, frowning a little.

"Hanako, I think I have to go now. It's getting late."

"But – I – I –"

"Shhh. Baby steps, Hanako. We've all had a big day, and I think that we should sleep on this. I wouldn't want you to do anything that you'd regret, after all... for the record, though... I don't. I... I really enjoyed that, and... and it would be nice if we could do that again, sometime. Good... Good night, Hanako."

She was positively beaming at the boy, her heart pounding in her chest. She wanted to tell him now, so so much, but she also felt flattered that he was being so considerate, and was taking her seriously. So, she nodded, giving him a slow but short kiss on the cheek, and pulling herself reluctantly off of him, tucking her knees to the side.

"Mikaru?"

He was about to get up, but instead he turned back to her, looking at her in the low light with a smile on his face.

"I... I really en – enjoyed that... too..."

His smile widened, and he stood up, backing up a few steps before he turned, opening the door and stepping out into the hall. As the last light from the hallway faded away, Hanako fell backwards on her bed, her hands resting over her chest, and the largest smile she's ever had on her face.

_He... he kissed me back... he wants to... to kiss me, again... and he doesn't regret it. He thinks I'm beautiful. He's... He's done so much for me... I don't think that just saying the words is enough..._

Hanako sat there, thinking for a half an hour about the boy who took her first kiss, as well as her heart. She wanted to show him how much she loved him, because words weren't enough. So, what could? _He said that... he wants to take baby steps. Take it slow. Maybe... _

She was brought from her thoughts by the sound of a piano, and she sat up. She had an idea, but it was a little risky. It would involve stepping entirely outside of her comfort zone, as well as a lot of dedication, but... She wanted to do this. She needed to. She stood up abruptly, taking a deep breath, and opening her door. The hallways were vacant, and many of the lights were off in the rooms, telling her that their occupants were asleep. One light was on, though, and she knew who's room it was. She stepped quietly over to the door, raising her right hand. She looked at it, observing her scars, and started shaking. Just before she lost her nerve however, Mikaru's words hit her like a rock, and it gave her strength.

_If Mikaru thinks I'm beautiful, then... That's enough for me. _

She knocked on the door. The sounds of the music stopped, and she heard swift footsteps. After a lock clicked, the door opened, Carla looked out at Hanako with shock, but she quickly shook it before a smile replaced it.

"Oh, Hi Hanako. I... this is a little unexpected. I'm not – _I'm not keeping you up, am I?_"

The girl looked really worried, and it took Hanako everything she had not to bolt. Quietly, she shook her head and spoke.

"No, I... I – I was just wondering if... if you'd m – mind if I – I came in, for – for a while..."

Carla's worry was quickly replaced by a sweet smile, and she nodded. She was surprised that Hanako had openly come up to her like this, but she didn't actually mind the girl like some people did. The company was welcome. So, she turned away, holding the door open for a moment before walking back to her place by the Piano Mikaru had gotten her. She stepped up to it, her fingers lightly brushing the keys before she sat down, stretching her neck and cracking her fingers.

"Was it the music you were interested, Hanako?"

She didn't look at the flighty girl, so Hanako had to verbally answer her.

"Y – Yes. It... it sounded really g – good..."

Carla turned to the girl, swinging her legs over the bench before they came back down on the other side. Her piano sat diagonally in the corner, so she could face into the entire room this way.

"I'm glad you think that, Hanako. It's been a really long time since I could just play like this. In fact, it was only today that Mikaru bought this for me, simply because I didn't have one here. He's... he's so strange, isn't he?"

Hanako looked at the girl before shaking her head.

"I... I don't think that he's strange. I think... I think that he's just s – sweet like that..."

Carla let out a quiet laugh, smiling at the girl. Hanako blushed, but she was the one who reached out, so resisted the urge to run away.

"I suppose... I suppose you're right, Hanako. He... he really is sweet sometimes, isn't he?"

Hanako looked at the girl, giving a slight nod.

"... You must really like him, huh?"

Hanako blushed, looking away.

"I – I – I..."

The girl stood up, walking over to Hanako. She sat down beside her, making the girl flinch.

"Hey, it's Ok, Hanako. I won't tell anyone."

Hanako looked up at the girl, the slightest of smiles playing across her face. She nodded a tiny, almost curt nod, and Carla laughed before standing up, walking back over to her piano.

"What... What were you playing, earlier?"

Carla turned back to the girl, waving her over with her hand. Hanako didn't miss the decidedly American gesture, Carla's hand having raised upwards instead of downwards, but walked over anyhow. When she was nearby, Carla patted the bench beside her, and Hanako gingerly took a seat, staring down at the electric piano in front of her. Hanako had never seen one, so she took a second to admire it, analyzing it closely, lightly brushing her left hand across some buttons and dials.

"Haha. I always thought you were a bit of a technophile, Hanako. That part's fun, and all, but I only really use some basic effects. The real fun -"

She lightly grabbed Hanako's wrist, moving her hand down to the white and black keys below the panels of dials, switches and sliders.

"- Is down _here._"

Hanako moved her hand slowly across the keys, almost marveling at the smooth, slightly glossy finish. Gingerly, her finger pressed down, making a note ring through the room. As she did, a small smile played onto her face.

Carla smiled at Hanako, before she cracked her fingers and lowered them to the keyboard. Hanako, seeing this, withdrew her hand, and watched. After a moment, Carla started playing, her hands moving surprisingly swiftly to accommodate the music. It was a soothing Jazz piece, with a nice rhythm to it. It accentuated the girl's obvious skill well, having a rather intricate solo in the middle.

"It's a song that my grandmother used to play, in a city called New Orleans. There was this bar she ran, with my Grandfather. She only played it publicly for special occasions, and only then by request. She taught it to me, though, before she died a few years back. It was hard, but I've been working on it a bit, tweaking a few measures. I really like Jazz music. It's... it's fun, you know?"

Hanako nodded, watching as the girl worked over the keys with wonder. When the song ended, Hanako gingerly clapped, making the girl laugh a bit.

"Do you... do you know any... any classical music?"

The girl smiled at Hanako, nodding.

"It comes with the territory. My parents were so happy when they found out that I wanted to play like my grandmother did, that they both got extra jobs to help pay for special lessons. I really enjoyed it, even though it was hard work. It paid off in the end, but..."

She went quiet, turning away from the keyboard to face Hanako.

"... a part of me is just as jealous of Mikaru as I am impressed, or envious."

Hanako raised her brows a the girl, and Carla smiled calmly.

"I've been playing since I was four. I've put so many hours into my piano, my parents spending so much money... and, apparently, Mikaru was just... he's really got a special gift for it, you know? Music is second nature to him. I'm sure you've known that I was helping him write music again."

Hanako nodded, paying close attention to the girl's story.

"... Well, he's only been involved with music since he was seven. And I'm the older of us, too. The stuff he writes... it's on another level. Terrifying. Joyous. Rational and inexplicable all at the same time. I could never write stuff like that, not if I had fifty years to do it. He's the greatest musical mind I've ever met. I had to work so hard for my gift, but he just... he had it, you know?"

Hanako absorbed this information.

"Can I... can I see it?"

Carla looked hard at Hanako for a moment, before pulling some of the music out of her bag.

"See this? This is sheet music. He's actually very organized in his work, unlike other musicians, so it's pretty easy to read. This part, with the lines? That's the staff. All of the notes are lined up with this staff. Look to the left now. That's how you tell what notes are where. This symbol, right on the farthest left hand sign on this staff? That's a clef marking. This one is Treble, which basically means High. Just to the right of that is the key signature. It's marking where notes are slid up and down a bit, in order to make a scale. Some of his key signatures are strange, though. This... isn't beginner stuff, you know?"

Hanako looked at the page, examining it. She looked up to Carla after a minute, nodding.

"I... I don't know what it would sound like, but... but I can see it. It's what it's for, right? Seeing... seeing the music."

Carla nodded, smiling.

"Yeah, that's about it. Well, I like jazz. What about you, though? What are your tastes?"

Hanako looked down, thinking. She doesn't listen to music much, not real music like this anyway. Aside from the song her mother showed her, only one song came to her mind.

"Well... There's this o – one song I know, but... I can't play it."

Carla looked at her, smiling.

"You sound a little sad about that. Would you... would you like me to teach you?"

Hanako snapped her eyes up to Carla's.

"I – I – Yes, I... I think I would l – like that..."

Carla smiled, pulling her phone out of her pocket.

"All right, Hanako. Let's see what we can do. What's the song called?"

Hanako looked down, testing the name in her mind before saying it as best as she could.

"I – It's called... 'A – Arabesuku No uan'... I think..."

The girl looked down for a second, thinking.

"That sounds a little like English at the end there. Do you know who it's by?"

Hanako didn't need time to answer, but she still struggled with the foreign name.

"_C – Craudo debutsyu?_"

Recognition dawn on Carla's face, and she giggled a bit, speaking happily.

"OH! You mean, 'Arabesque No. 1' by 'Claude Debussy'? I think I've heard that piece before. Here, I'll look it up on my phone."

Hanako nodded, blushing, but happy that she managed to communicate the song. After a minute, she had sheet music up on her phone, and she cracked her fingers, reading a few pages before flipping back to the first, running it through her mind before setting her fingers down, running through the first measures. After the introduction was done, she looked over to Hanako expectantly.

"That... That sounds... _almost... _right..."

Hanako frowned, but Carla just giggled a bit, smiling.

"- It _is _the right song, though, correct?"

Hanako looked at the name, thinking about the way the notes sounded before she looked up at Carla, nodding.

"... I can't really hear the way you want it to sound until _you _learn it, but I'm glad that we're past that hurdle. If you'd like, I can help familiarize you with the music here."

Hanako nodded, and she followed Carla over to her desk, where she paused for a minute, looking at her phone and turning back.

"... Actually, Hanako, it's – it's midnight. I have a pretty big day tomorrow, but I'll tell you what. Instead of us starting now, you go to bed. I'll stay up a little longer, and copy this out so that you can have it too. You can look over it during your free time, and I think, tomorrow at ten, we can start helping you read it. Does that sound good?"

Hanako put her finger to her lip, considering it before looking back to Carla, nodding shyly.

"Th – thank you, Carla. I just... can it... can it be... our... secret?"

Hanako was blushing, but Carla just laughed softly, putting her hand on Hanako's left shoulder.

"Ok, Hanako. I know it can be tough learning new things sometimes, but it's even tougher with people judging you before you're ready. I won't tell a soul, I swear!"

Hanako smiled, thinking a moment before she stepped forward, hugging the kind girl.

"Th – Thank you, for b – being nice to me..."

Carla smiled a sad smile, but Hanako didn't see.

"Of course, Hanako. You're... you're a sweet girl. You deserve it, you know? I'd... I'd like to say that I'm your friend too."

Hanako looked back at Carla, smiling and nodding at the decisively _'Mikaru'_ words, before she turned around and walked out of the room.

* * *

><p>The next day, Mikaru was already in the class when Hanako walked in, although both were early. She looked at him, blushing, but quickly turned her head down and shuffled into her chair beside him. Mikaru had nothing better to do, since he has yet to actually do anything productive inside the classroom, so he turned to Hanako, smiling.<p>

"Hey, Hanako. Sleep well?"

Hanako snapped her eyes up to him, nodding a little.

"Y – yes, Mikaru... I did..."

She seemed torn between smiling back at him, and hiding her head in her hands, so Mikaru, being observant as he was, picked up on this and acted.

"... and how are you feeling about... about last night?"

She froze, shaking a little.

"I... I... I don't regret it. Do... do y – you?"

He chuckled, putting her at ease a little.

"- Of course not. I stand by everything I said and did last night, Hanako."

She smiled at his words, but the moment was broken as Mikaru put on an impassive mask, glancing at the door with an almost bored expression. Hanako was a little confused, but turned towards the door herself. As she did, Misha burst into the classroom, flanked by Shizune. Seeing the two in class early, they bee – lined over to them, Misha already talking by the time they got there.

"Hey, Mikachan! I heard that you broke up with Ibarazaki yesterday!"

Mikaru looked up at the girl, straightening up a little.

"I did. What's... what's your point?"

Misha looked at him a little mischievously, before she spoke loudly, ignoring Shizune for a moment.

"- If that's the case, then you shouldn't have any problem with taking _me _out tonight! Right? Right? Wahahaha!"

Mikaru looked a little at her, making Hanako freeze up. However, Mikaru's words instantly put her at ease. This did not go unnoticed by Shizune.

"- Well, Misha, I do. I mean, I'm sorry, but I've actually got other plans. That, and I'm afraid to say that I don't think I'm all that interested."

Misha deflated a little, her voice going marginally quieter, but she was still bubbly.

"Awe! I was so _excited_, too! That's okay, though. _I knew _you and Carla had a thing for each other! Naughty, naughty Mikaru!"

Hanako instantly froze again, her eyes going as wide as saucers. Mikaru paused at that, considering what he was going to say. Hanako was about to bolt, but he spoke again.

"- Misha, I _really_ _want _to like you as a person, but you just have the _biggest habit_ of digging me into holes, don't you? _No_, me and Carla _don't_ have anything _going on_. Just for once, on this _one aspect of my life_, could you please, _please_ keep your speculation to yourself?"

_That _burst Misha's bubble. Mikaru, much to his disbelief and chagrin, felt _bad _about it.

"... Oh. Okay, Mikaru... I'm... I'm sorry if I was... if I was bugging you. I didn't think you'd – you'd take it like that. It... _it won't happen again, I promise!_"

At her last sentence, she perked up again, making a peace sign with her fingers, her face going into a _positively charming_ smile, and her legs going into a mildly _risque_ power – stance.

The sight made Mikaru smile at her, for once, and the action didn't go unnoticed by anyone there.

"Th – Thanks, Misha. I'd... I'd really appreciate that."

After he finished that, Shizune smacked Misha on the shoulder, glaring at her. That whole time, Misha had been too preoccupied with herself to sign.

Shizune: [Dammit, Misha! What just happened? You know how much I hate it when you don't sign!]

Misha frowned right back at her, signing back more rigidly that Mikaru had ever seen before from the bubbly broad.

Misha: {NO! Don't you start on me, Shizune! I sign for you all the time, and just once, I wanted to have a private conversation with someone else. Is that too much to ask, even though I spend my whole day helping you?}

Shizune recoiled at the words. She deflated, seeming incredibly hurt by Misha's words. For her part, however, Misha _didn't _back down, which would have defeated the purpose of getting angry in the first place. After a long, tense minute of staring at each other, Shizune seemed to almost stutter, her face going red. Her words, however, weren't angry.

Shizune: [I... I didn't... I thought... I... I'm sorry, Misha. I... I didn't know you felt that way. I – I thought that you were... well, not having a private conversation. I guess... I'm just not... used to it, Misha.]

Misha: {For your information, I was just shot down. Hard. He... he made it pretty clear as to why, too.}

Mikaru decided that the conversation after this part was not something he needed to see, although the irony of him eavesdropping on their private conversation was not lost on him. However, any thoughts he had were cut from his mind as Hisao came up to the door, waving him over. Mikaru cast a glance at Hanako before stepping out of the room, leaning against the wall.

"Mikaru, I need your help. I don't think I can do this."

Mikaru raised his brow, instantly getting serious.

"... Is that what you think? If so, then Lilly needs to know."

"- No, that's not what I'm getting at. You helped me make it this far, with your tip on steadying my heart, but I want to know if there's anything else I can do in a week to get the nerves out. Whenever I think about it, my heart races. I know I have to, though, or else I might have a heart attack when it happens. I – I really want to do this, but -"

"- Then you need to meditate on it."

Hisao balked at his friend.

"Mikaru, I just told you that -"

"- No, You've been _thinking_ about it. You need to _meditate _on it."

Hisao paused for a minute, looking at his friend.

"... You mean, like how you meditate?"

Mikaru nodded.

"- but I don't know how."

Mikaru nodded again, choosing now to voice his thoughts.

"Well, that's why you need my help, Hisao. You _need _to meditate on this, and put your mind and body into harmony about your situation. So, tonight, clear your plans. You will come over to my place with Carla after school, and I will teach you how to meditate."

Hisao thought about it for a second, but soon realized the futility of arguing with Mikaru. He nodded, conceding in his thoughts that, for all his big talk and generally goofy nature, Mikaru was _very _wise about these sorts of things, and taking his advice and offer of tutorship was the only thing he could do.

* * *

><p>Mikaru and Hanako sat in the Library, working through the day's questions. Just as usual, the work was swift and intense, with neither of the bright minds folding at the task. However, the mood in the room was definitely different. Hanako was glancing at Mikaru all the time, he focusing intently on his schoolwork. Her usual mid – work small talk with him had been abandoned, and the air was heavy with an awkward mix of anticipation, anxiety, and uncertainty.<p>

While Hanako was certainly not confident enough in herself to be certain of anything, Mikaru was uncertain as well. He didn't really know yet if Hanako was into him, or was just embarrassed about acting in the heat of the moment, and didn't actually harbour any feelings of affection for him. He also didn't really get the feeling like Hanako could talk about it openly, so he was at an impasse. It wasn't a nice feeling, but thanks to his meditations the past night, he was certain of the fact that he definitely had feelings for Hanako, and he definitely wanted what started last night to continue on to a relationship. Seeing no reasonable way to act, he decided that he would do what he did best: he would wait.

Hanako, on the other hand, was much less steady in her thoughts than Mikaru was.

_Mikaru and I kissed last night. Was that just it, though? A kiss? Does he have any feelings for me at all? If he did, are they the same as the ones I feel for him? I don't think I could handle being a fling with him. Then again, no one has ever made me feel like he does, and he's an intuitive person. He knew what he was saying and doing last night, that much I am certain of, but he hasn't made much of a decisive move on anything. Could he... could he be waiting for me to make a move, like he always does? I know he's a patient person, but I don't know if I could handle that kind of stress. I know that it's Mikaru, and I should be less concerned than this, but If I say something, and he rejects me like he rejected Misha... I don't think I could take that._

Mikaru noticed her not working, and decided to speak up.

"Hey, Hanako? Something... something the matter?"

She snapped her eyes up to his, seeing the concern, and spoke the first thought that came to her mind.

"Do you... do you like... Carla?"

He didn't hesitate.

"- No. I thought you'd be clear on that after what I said to Misha."

"... D – does she like... you?"

Mikaru had to think about that. He hadn't considered the possibility, but now that he did, he found it to be a troubling prospect, to say the least.

"I... I don't know, Hanako. If she did, though... I don't think that would end well."

Hanako's eyes widened at that.

"W – Why?"

"... Well, Carla is my friend. More than that, though,_ I need her_. She's already seen so much of my work, that if I had to find somebody else to help me finish... which I wouldn't really like anyhow - It's not proper, you know? - I'd probably have to start over from scratch, music and all."

Hanako pondered his words. _Carla is his friend. He doesn't want her to like him because of that. Am I making a mistake? Was he just too nice to turn me down directly before?_

"O – Oh. I – I understand."

Apparently, Mikaru did as well, because a look of realization came over his face and he buried his head in his arms. _So much for waiting... well, this might suck..._

"- _shit. _Hanako, this can't wait. I – I was thinking about last night, and I want us to be a thing. Together... a couple."

Hanako froze, her head snapping up at his words.

"I – I – I -"

Mikaru watched her, but her reaction made him deflate. She started to clam up, and he looked away, putting his stump up to the bridge of his nose.

"... Dammit. I'm – I'm so stu -"

Nobody but them were in the library right now, so nobody but Mikaru could see it when Hanako tore herself out of her chair, jumped into his lap and _kissed the shit _out of him. His eyes wide, he could no nothing but kiss her back, and make sure to hold her steady when the chair toppled backwards, leaving him lying prone on his back, Hanako straddling his pelvis as she kissed him with tears in her eyes. The kiss lingered, but it was broken off early because they were in a public place still, even if it was deserted. Hanako looked down at him, her eyes a little red, her chin quivering. The slightest of smiles was on her face; but it was almost a half – frown too. It was a strange face, and certainly a face that Mikaru hadn't expected to see on Hanako.

"I – I want that. I w – want US. I don't want to s – see you with o – other girls, anymore. Just... just me. O – Only me. Only us."

Mikaru was shocked at her strong words. It didn't take him long to smile at them, though. His smile was wide, and happy, and it was more than enough to reassure Hanako in her decision, and make her smile as well.

"That... that sounds... _I can live with that._"

She let out a half gasp, half sob at his words, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. Her mouth came back down to his, and she felt his arms come up her sides, locking into a familiar _v – shape_ behind her back, pulling her chest down to meet his. As they kissed, she felt his warmth against him, and a different warmth polling in her core. As the kiss was about to get heated however, Mikaru took a deep breath and pulled away, using one arm to push himself and Hanako up. As he did, Hanako's legs came down onto the ground, and she stood, her hands just inches from the back of his head. His arms rested on her waist, and his head was bowed, his nose inches from the top of her head.

"_Holy... shit... Hanako..."_

His gasped words made her chuckle, and wrap her arms around him in embarrassment.

"S – sorry..."

He laughed too, rubbing his arms up and down her sides. The action sent shivers through her body.

"It's... it's not a bad thing, Hanako... I'm just... _wow_..."

She laughed again, her hands coming to rest on his chest.

"I... That was... _exciting..._"

The words were completely unexpected, and it made Mikaru almost bellow out, his iron wall of self – control nearly shattering.

"_Eh, _well _god damn. _I had _no idea _you were an exhibitionist..."

She smacked him on the chest lightly, tucking her face deeper down into his chest.

"_Sh – shut up..._"

He outright laughed at that, kissing the crown of her head.

"Yes, Mam."

She smiled at this, rubbing the muscles on his chest. After a moment of this, he brought his arms in between them, the action causing Hanako to step back a foot, her hands coming to rest around his arms. She held them like they were hands. The notion made Mikaru a little light – headed, but he spoke.

"Hanako, I think... I really think that for the sake of our newly founded relationship, we should continue this at a later time."

She blushed, realizing with a mixture of dread, excitement and happiness that _yes, that JUST happened, and YES, it was in the Library of the school in the middle of broad daylight, not to mention during business hours._

"- It's... It's good that... Yukko isn't here, right now..."

Mikaru paused at that, before he stepped back a foot, looking at Hanako before stepping past her, and towards the front desk. Hanako followed him with her eyes, noticing where he was headed, and thought with terror that _maybe she was wrong._

Mikaru was stealthy as ever, making his way swiftly around the desk to see Yukko's huddled body, hiding under the desk, her eyes wide and her mouth moving like a fish.

"... Hello, Yukko. Are you... are you having trouble sleeping down there?"

"_- I won't say anything, I swear! Just please don't tell anyone I was asleep! I beg you!"_

Mikaru chuckled, extending his arm out to her. She turned her head slightly in his direction, her hand coming out to grab the outstretched arm. Slowly, he pulled her out from beneath the desk, lightly working her onto her feet. She was wobbly in her knees, but she stood on her own power.

"... I think you need to relax a little, Yukko. It was just a little tense over there, and I don't think either of us were able to do much to stop it. I promise you it won't happen again, though. _At least,_" Mikaru rounded on Hanako, smiling cheekily, "- _Not unless I check first._"

Hanako blushed madly at that, smiling a little and slapping him on the chest. _That seems to be her thing. At least it's not my FACE she's slapping, though. I just hope she doesn't hurt herself on me..._

Yukko laughed a little, both from relief from his reassuring words and from nervous terror at the thought of her bosses finding out that she had let two students make out in the library.

"W – Well, uh, thanks Mikaru. Seriously, though," Her face contorted into a comfortable smile, and she glanced between Hanako and Mikaru before continuing, "I'm glad that you and Hanako are together. She seems to be really comfortable around you, no matter where she is. It's... it's a very pleasant sight."

Yukko's smile was earnest and sincere, and it made Mikaru smile as well. Hanako walked up behind him, her arms coming around his torso and her head peeking out from beneath the left side if his chest.

"Th – thank you, Y – Yukko. It... it makes me happy to hear you s – say that..."

The sight and the words made Yukko's smile widen, her hand coming to her mouth to hide it. The action made Mikaru chuckle, bringing his right arm to rest over hers and his left arm back a bit, tucked into her shoulder.

"_Hehehehe_... as cute as this moment is, I think you guys should get packed up now. It's five minutes until lunch, and I don't think you'll want to miss it after _that _display of passion..."

Hanako giggled a bit, and Mikaru blushed, raising his left arm behind his head.

"R – Right. Heh. Thank you, Yukko."

She nodded, and the two took it as their cue to walk away, Hanako now walking steadily at his side. When they reached their table, Mikaru quickly moved to his laptop, folding it and tucking into it's bag. As he did this, Hanako arranged her papers and packed them away before looking up at Mikaru.

"M – Mikaru?"

He looked over at her, his eyebrow raised.

"Yeah, Hanako?"

She blushed a bit, her hands firmly planted on the table as she opened her mouth to speak.

"I... I won't be coming... to lunch, today. I – I was going to go down to the computer labs, if that's -"

Mikaru put his arm up briefly, smiling a bit before he spoke.

"Hey, you don't need to ask my permission to do something, Hanako. Just because we're in a relationship now doesn't mean I own you, okay? You go do what you need to do. There's plenty of time for us to see each other later. Oh, and one more thing:"

He paused for a moment, pulling out his wallet. She raised her eyebrow at him, before he flipped open a button, pulling out a small blank card.

"Do you... do you think you could give me your number? I'm getting a phone soon, but I don't really want that to mean I don't have a way of contacting you if something comes up before then."

She smiled at him, nodding before grabbing a pen, pausing. After a moment, she started writing. After that, she paused another second before writing something else.

_Ikezawa Hanako 3_

She pushed it across the table in front of him, letting him read it before putting it into his wallet near the front. He laughed a little, smiling at the cute little heart that Hanako had drawn. It even had a little glare on it in the top right corner, and it made him realize just how girly his girlfriend really was.

"... Thanks for that, Ikezawa Hanako – heart. I'll be sure that I'll never lose this."

She blushed a little at his slight teasing, but beamed at the genuine smile he was wearing. It made her unbelievably happy to _finally _get to be able to make him smile like that.

As he put his wallet back into his pocket, Hanako finished packing up, sealing his laptop case for him before raising the strap. It had become a regular occurrence between the two, after Mikaru had seen her smile the first time she had been able to do so. It was a small price to pay to see that smile, and she didn't fail to deliver this time.

"Why thank you, Miss Ikezawa. How very considerate of you."

She smiled at his cheeky remark, hugging him tightly.

"A – anytime, K – Kanasu – sama."

He chuckled at the honorific, pulling her close for a second before letting her pull away.

"- Have a good day, Hanako. I'm going out to do a bit of shopping before school ends, so I'll see you tomorrow, ne?"

She looked up at him, nodding. Before he could walk away however, he looked around him quickly before leaning down, stealing a kiss from her. It was short and sweet, and it left Hanako a little breathless at it's suddenness, but she felt herself smile. Mikaru smiled back at her, a mischievous glint to his eye, before he backed up a few paces, turning on his heel and jogging out the door. As the door closed behind him, she sat down on her purple beanbag as the events of the last half hour caught up to her. As she thought about Mikaru, she let out a tiny squeal of happiness, her arms and legs dancing about excitedly. _Mikaru... Mikaru and I are in a relationship! He feels the same way as I do! I'm so happy!_

Shaking off her excitement a bit, she grabbed her bags and walked swiftly out the door, turning towards the stairs to the lower levels. She needed to meet Carla in the computer labs to collect the sheet music, and also to start her research about reading sheet music. As she walked, her happiness evident, she actually managed to forget about the people who occasionally stared at her.

This was a very, very good day, and Hanako was likely never going to forget it.

* * *

><p>Hanako made it to the computer lab without incident, stepping in before looking around, seeing Carla talking with a few other people. Seeing her, she said her goodbyes to the others before walking up to Hanako, a large smile on her face.<p>

"Hi Hanako! Wow, you're positively glowing right now!"

Hanako smiled at her words, nodding a bit before she replied.

"Th – Thank you, C – Carla – Chan..."

The other girl smiled widely at the familiar honorific, stepping up to Hanako and hugging her.

Hanako was a little taken aback, but managed to raise her hand to Carla's back, stroking it a little. It lasted for a while before Carla pulled away, holding Hanako's elbows for a second before releasing them, turning her head to the side as she reached into her bag.

"Hold on a second... Ah! Here you go, Hana-Chan!"

She presented a short stack of papers, hole – punched and bound by purple string. Hanako took it into her hands, examining the papers. She looked at the back first, which had a few scrawled notes about the music, before she turned it over, seeing the foreign name on the front, with some neat _Katakana_ below it, as well as a few hearts and a note on the front. It read:

_For Ikezawa Hanako,_

_in hopes that you can learn how to achieve musical excellency, _

_from your friend, _

_Carla Simpson._

She looked up at the girl, smiling.

"Wow, C – Carla. Th – Thank you. This – This is really nice..."

Carla smiled widely at the girls words, obviously pleased with herself and her success. She looked over at the clock behind Hanako's head, her eyes bugging out a little before she looked back at Hanako, a funny look on her face.

"- Eh, This is bad. Ohhhhh, this is _bad! _I'm late for my appointment with the nurse today! Hanako, do you mind if I head out early?"

Hanako smiled, stepping aside before speaking.

"G – go, Carla. I – I'll be okay h – here..."

She smiled at Hanako before nodding, stepping past the girl quickly.

"- Kay! See-ya, Hana-Chan!"

She was out the door in an instant, leaving Hanako standing in the front of the room for a moment before she shook her head, smiling a bit at the girl's lack of organization, and found a computer. Sitting down, she booted it up, noting with a smile the familiar logo that showed up whenever Mikaru started up his. As the computer was turning on however, she heard footsteps behind her, and soon after a voice was heard.

"- Hey, Hanako. What's up? We haven't spoken in a while."

Hanako turned around, seeing Mikki standing over her with a smile on her face.

_It's Mikki... the girl who called Mikaru a liar. _

"... H – hello."

Hanako's voice was decidedly colder than it had been with Carla, and it made Mikki pause.

"So, how are things going? I don't usually see you down here... are you working on a project?"

Hanako frowned, shaking her head. _I don't want to be talking to Mikki right now. Not at all. In fact, I think it's the last thing I ever want to do, besides lose Mikaru. Which I almost did, thanks to her. _

"I... I'm just here to l – look into a few things... so..."

After a moment, Hanako turned away from Mikki in her chair, watching as the computer finished it's start up sequence, showing a decidedly less flashy, not so fleshed – out version of Mikaru's desktop. Much to Hanako's displeasure, however, she noticed that Mikki was now watching over her shoulder, smiling a little.

"What _kind _of things? Is it about a boy?"

"- No. Just... things."

Mikki frowned at that, stepping around the chair and sitting on the table beside Hanako. She was looking at the girl as Hanako turned her head, frowning at Mikki.

"- Oh, don't tell me that you actually _care _about that loser Kanasu. I mean, you _have _to know the real reason his hands are gone. So what is it? Was he in an accident of some sort? A boat, maybe?"

Hanako stared long and hard at the girl sitting on the desk. She was staring back, a slight grin on her face.

"Oh, _you do, _don't you? Do tell, Hanako! I'm _dying _to know!"

_... This girl... after all that she's done... has the audacity to assume that I would talk about my friends behind their backs like that? Mikaru is my boyfriend! I should... I should..._

"Come _on, _Hanako! I know you -"

"- JUST SHUT UP! YOU HAVE _NO CLUE _WHAT MIKARU IS LIKE! HE _TOLD YOU_ WHAT REALLY HAPPENED! EVEN IF YOU _DIDN'T_ BELIEVE HIM, _YOU'RE SURROUNDED BY COMPUTERS!_ YOU COULD FIND OUT _YOURSELF_ INSTEAD OF TRYING TO GET ME TO _TALK BEHIND HIS BACK_ LIKE SOME _STUPID BITCH!_"

Mikki looked shocked at Hanako's outburst. Before she could say anything in response however, Hanako's hands furiously typed on the keyboard, bringing Google up. The search bar barely had a moment to display before Hanako was typing again.

_Souta Mikaru Trial_

After she clicked search, she stood up abruptly, grabbing her things before turning back to Mikki.

"- There! _The hard part's done_, so all you have to do is _read_! Now do me a favour and just _leave us alone,_ Mikki!"

Mikki watched dumbfounded as Hanako strode past her, bumping into her knees as she did. She watched as Hanako strode out the door, slamming it closed behind her.

Mikki felt her anger boil in her chest. Fuming, she sat down at the computer, about to close the window when she noticed the first link was a video.

_Souta Mikaru, 23__rd__ November, 2008 – Trial footage._

She froze, her hand clicking the link on it's own. Her own research hadn't shown _anything _conclusive. The most she got was boring tech stuff, which everybody knew, and a flurry of blocked government pages. As she watched, her eyes widened in shock.

A lone man, dressed in a suit on one side of the room. Three men, two dressed in black suits looking impassively, one dressed in a white one, looking bored. A crowd of people in the room, sitting down in benches. A man sitting on a podium.

"... My client, whom for reasons of injury and disability, regretfully cannot be in attendance today. However, he has prepared words and a statement, as well as placed a request."

The judge looked at the lone lawyer, nodding his head.

"... He has asked to be tried under a different name; he has two thanks to a paperwork mishap. Is this acceptable?"

The judge paused a moment, before speaking.

"... I suppose, if it's still him, I'm going to allow this. Please, let me hear your opening statement."

"Thank you, sir. The boy in question has been brought before you to attest to several counts of murder, assault, and an attempted rape charge. However, in this instance, he wishes to plead not guilty to the count of attempted rape, and guilty by necessity to all other charges -"

"- Objection; he can't plead if he isn't present."

"The boy is in a coma! He can't even _speak_ right now, let alone _walk_ thanks to the severing of his hamstrings. Besides that, someone else would be pleading on his behalf anyhow. He's a minor."

The judge sighed, putting his head in his hands for a moment before looking at the man on the left.

"... Really, Satou? Objection Overruled. Sit down."

The man sat down, turning his head to speak with the other two men. The speaker stood, waiting to be acknowledged by the judge. After a moment, The judge took a sip of water, looking over at the man and nodding.

" - and wishes to counter – sue, with his layout of charges distributed about the group in question."

The Judge paused for a minute, taking another sip of water before speaking.

"- Just for the record of the court, what is the name of the defendant?"

"... Michael Kanas."

The rest of the video was unnoticed by Mikki and the other people there, who were in shock.

"He... he wasn't... lying..."

Mikki slumped back into her chair, her arms coming to rest underneath her chest.

"I can't believe it..."

"So many charges..."

"- Kanasu was telling the truth?"

"I wish I had payed more attention to him on the roof..."

Mikki stood up slowly, shaking a little. Forgetting all about the others, she walked out of the room, plodding down the hall slowly. Her arms never left her stomach as she walked, thinking about Mikaru's words.

_'I'll make you eat those words.'_

_'Until then... I don't have to deal with this shit.'_

She slumped against the wall of the hall, sliding down it until she was seated.

_How... how could I be so stupid? Of course he wouldn't be Kanasu Mikaru before the trial ended. He would be Michael Souta, just as he said he was. I... I feel awful. I can't even apologize to him, because he won't talk to me! Now Hanako won't either, and that makes me feel even worse. Why did I have to do that? Why couldn't I just believe him? I saw the look on his face when he walked into the music room. I saw the look on his face when he touched the Vibraphone for the first time. I... they... we ruined that for him! I caused him to lose his girlfriend, and almost all his other friends, because I was too stupid to do proper research! DAMMIT!_

Mikki smacked her fist against the wall, slumping her head onto her knees and crying. As she did, she got an idea.

_Maybe... maybe Carla can help me? She'd still talk to me, right? Where did she say she was going, the Nurse?Maybe I can reach her before she gets too busy..._

With that, Mikki stood up, making her way through the halls at a steady jog, ignoring the burning behind her eyes.

* * *

><p>Mikaru stepped out of the post office, his new phone tucked firmly beneath his arm. He looked around, sitting on a bench for a while, before he noticed the fiancee of the woman he'd saved walking out of a store a few buildings down. He waved at the man, and the man squinted a bit, before running over excitedly.<p>

"Hey there, Kid! Long time no see, huh? How have you been?"

Mikaru smiled, the parcel in his lap.

"I've been... really, really good, thanks. I've taken up my old passion again, and I'm dating someone now. What about you?"

The man smiled, taking a seat beside the boy and huffing a bit.

"- Oh, well, I've been running myself ragged trying to set up the wedding. It's nothing all that interesting, really. Just boring grown – up stuff I can't say I care too much for. Now, you said something about a passion?"

Mikaru, smiled, turning the package around in his arms a bit. The man, seeing his obvious trouble, took the box from his hands, pulling out his keys and starting the process of unwrapping it.

"- Thanks. Yeah, actually. Before I was a cripple, I was a musician."

The man paused for a moment, before continuing, speaking softly as he did.

"That's rough, kid. I couldn't imagine something like that. How are you coping, though? You're taking it back?"

Mikaru smiled, seeing the outside box of his new Iphone.

"... Yeah. A friend of mine, Carla, is helping me write music again. I can't play anymore, maybe besides the drums with a bit of McGuivering, but I can still compose. She's been scribing for me. I'm writing a concert, actually."

The man opened the box to the phone, setting to work on getting everything in place.

"You compose classically? That's pretty cool, kid. You any good?"

Mikaru laughed, raising his leg up to rest on his knee.

"... Apparently, I still got it. She was so moved by one of my pieces that she ran out crying one time. Oh! And I did my first piece when I was nine."

The man froze at that, looking over at the boy.

"Holy shit... You're Michael Souta. Holy. Shit."

Mikaru awkwardly chuckled, smiling.

"Uhh... not until the letter comes in, but... yeah."

The man turned the phone on, watching it as it started up.

"... Hey. You... you did a lot for me and my fiancee. I want you... I want you to come. To the wedding."

Mikaru froze. _Me? At a wedding? I'm not that special. We're practically strangers..._

"Uh, well... I – When is it?"

The man turned doing some things to the phone before placing it on my lap.

"- That should do it. The wedding? It's this weekend. Sunday. You should bring your girlfriend, too."

Mikaru paused, thinking about it. _Well, we could probably be ready by then... If only I knew that Hanako would be interested. If she is, then I'll go, but..._

The man picked up the phone again, swiping the screen a few times before tapping it a bit.

"... It's a little short notice, but I think it's really important you come. Of course, I won't force you. My name's in there, as well as a contact number. If you can reach me by Friday, then I can make sure that we have you written in to the seating plan. After that, in a few week's time after we get back from our honeymoon, I'd be happy to lend you a hand, or something. You know, maybe drive you somewhere, as a ways of properly thanking you."

Mikaru smiled at the man, offering him a bow.

"_Shi Osamuki arigatogozaimashita._"

The formal thank – you was noted with a bow from the other man, whom was listed as 'Osamuki' in Mikaru's phone.

"Well, there you go, then. Ok, I'd better be off now. It was nice catching up, Mikaru. Have a nice week!"

The man stood up then, pulling out a bag from his pocket and throwing the box into it. Mikaru noted this with a bow, and the man grinned, walking off. Turning back to his new phone, he decided that it was high time to use it. Speaking to his phone, he called out the digits he had in his head, and after a moment, the phone started ringing.

_Brrrrrrrr._

_Brrrrrrrr._

_Brrrrrrrr._

_Brrrr - "*Sniff Sniff* I – Ike... zawa *Sniff* Ha – Hanako *Sniff* Speaking..."_

Immediately, Mikaru noticed the distress in her voice. She was crying.

"H – Hanako!"

"_Mi – Mikaru? *Sniff* I – is that *Sniff* you?"_

Mikaru was _not _happy. A crying Hanako is the _last _thing he wanted to have to see.

"Yes, Hanako. Are – are you okay? Are you in trouble? Where – where are you?"

She sobbed on the other end, coughing a bit before she spoke.

"_I – I'm in... the park..."_

"Got it, Hanako. I'll be there as soon as I can. Hang up."

Mikaru stuffed his things into his pockets, grabbing his bags before jumping up. Turning around, he sprinted in the direction of the park making it in 40 seconds. Looking around, he saw Hanako sitting under a tree, her arms clutched to her chest. He ran over to her, setting his things down. She looked up at him, barely able to get onto her feet before he wrapped his arms around the still – sobbing girl. She held her hands against his chest limply as she cried, her shoulders shaking up and down.

"Hanako... what happened to you?"

Hanako started crying harder, speaking through her tears.

"I – it *sob* It w – was *sniff, sob* Mikki... she – she *sniff* wouldn't leave – leave me a *sob, sniff*– alone!"

Mikaru didn't say anything, kneeling down so Hanako could get more comfortable. When he did, Hanako's arms went around his neck, and she instantly leaned in, kissing him. He kissed her back as hard as he could, his arms moving slow, soft circles on her back and head. After a while, she pulled away, resting her head on his shoulder and shaking a little, her crying having almost stopped by now.

"Was... was Mikki teasing you?"

Hanako spoke, her voice a little steadier, but just as distressed.

"N – no... Mikki – Mikki was... trying to... get me to... t – to talk about you... behind your b – back... and – and she called you a – a loser, and – and suggested that – that c – caring for you was – was wrong!"

Mikaru looked at her for a second, watching her eyes dart in between his, before he slowly leaned in, kissing her softly. Hanako's arms went up behind his neck, and her eyes snapped shut. After a moment of that, he pulled away, bring his stump up to caress her face.

"Hanako... do you believe her?"

Hanako shook her head, breathing heavily.

"... Then that's that. Problem solved. Mikki doesn't matter here. It's just us. No one can get to you here. Okay?"

She looked up at him, nodding before she dipped her head, her forehead meeting his. They stayed like that for a while, just enjoying the moment, before Hanako spoke.

"I... I wasn't v – very... nice to M – Mikki..."

Mikaru chuckled, holding her to him.

"I'm not going to get mad about it. Mikki had it coming. What did you do?"

Hanako looked off to the side, blushing.

"I – I called her... a s – stupid b – bitch, and I – I yelled at h – her..."

Mikaru laughed a bit, putting his forehead on hers again.

"... am I a bad influence, Miss Ikezawa?"

Hanako laughed a bit, shaking her head.

"N – no, K – Kanasu – sama."

"Heh. My own fan-club... you could be president, ne?"

She smiled, laughing at his words.

"P – pretty... P – Prestigious..."

He smiled, picking them up. She got to her feet, holding him close.

"Only the best for my Hanako. Hey, I've got something I wanna talk to you about. You know that woman I saved?..."

End of Chapter Twenty – Four: Behind These Bars, Hanako's Bravery!

Next Time! Chapter Twenty – Five: Behind These Bars, Meditations and Revelations!


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter Twenty – Four: Behind These Bars, Meditations and Revelations!**

* * *

><p>When Carla arrived at the door to room 120, she was surprised to find Hisao waiting, with his arms crossed. When he heard her, he looked up, offering her a sheepish smile.<p>

"Uh... Hey, Carla..."

She paused, crossing her arms in front of herself.

"Hi, Hisao."

She looked a little unimpressed, but Hisao wasn't going to back down.

"I, uh... I'm going to be in there, today. Most of this week, actually. I'm... I'm sorry, for uh... well, for being aggressive."

She smirked at him and his lack of confidence, walking up to him and slapping him on the shoulder playfully.

"Jeez, Hisao. You're such a _downer_. You need to lighten up a little!"

He looked up at her, grinning, before he rapped his knuckles against the door twice before he turned to it, sliding his key in and unlocking the door.

"Mikaru made me a copy of the key. Come in."

She raised her brown, feeling only the _tiniest_ bit jealous of this information before she followed him in.

"Hey, Mikaru. We're here. Are we gonna do this?"

She smiled, but Mikaru put up his arm. She paused in her place, and he turned to Hisao.

"Welcome, Carla, Hisao. Before we begin, I must speak with you. Carla, Hisao is with me this week to learn about meditation. It would do well not to disturb him, in case he's found his place. Hisao, now I will teach you about meditation."

Hisao sat down cross – legged, looking at Mikaru.

"... Meditation is, primarily, a way to get in touch with your innermost thoughts, as well as help to find the point where your mind and body are at balance with your surroundings. In this case, your surroundings are more than just the physical environment around you; they are also the events surrounding and dominating your life. In order to be able to find this balance, you must first completely empty yourself. It is a process of denial, eliminating all distractions and grievances, joys, doubts and fears, leaving only the self in their place. When you can achieve this state of emptiness and self – denial, you will find that the answers to your problems will come. Now, the process:"

He sat up straight, his arms coming to rest on his thighs. His knees were beneath him, and his head was completely level.

"You must assume a position of stability. Stability is the first process of meditation, giving your mind a sturdy platform to rest upon."

He took a deep breath, breathing it out of his body.

"Next, the purge. This is just as important as Stability, and it is both physical and mental. The breath in takes in oxygen and positive energy, welling in your center. The breath out expels your thoughts, emotions and Carbon Dioxide, as well as any negative energy resting in your core. You do this until you are completely empty, and not a moment before that. When you have reached that point, you will know."

After that, Mikaru took a few more deep breaths, and then his breathing slowed nearly to a halt. As he was in this state, he took a half an hour before he spoke.

"... Let us begin."

Hisao took that as his cue, putting his body in the same position as Mikaru. He looked over, making sure his posture was right, before he closed his eyes, taking deep breaths and exhaling deeply.

"- Relax, Hisao. You are trying too hard. You will never become empty if you take so much in."

Mikaru had spoken in the middle of his relation of the song, startling Hisao a bit at it's abruptness. He fell over, hitting his head on the wall. Carla didn't even look in his direction, just as Mikaru suggested. Hisao sat up, rubbing his head sorely before closing his eyes, taking a deep breath, and getting back onto his knees.

The night went on like this, Hisao trying and failing to achieve meditation, Carla and Mikaru steadfastly ignoring him, until 21:00, when Hisao had had enough, sitting with his back against the wall. He watched them as they worked, Carla writing dutifully and Mikaru calmly speaking, his mind absorbed in the music. After thirty minutes, Carla spoke.

"Mikaru? Do you mind if we break early tonight? I'm supposed to meet up with a friend tonight."

Mikaru took a deep breath, opening his eyes and standing.

"Thank you, Carla. I believe that is a good idea. Hisao, please stay a minute."

Carla gathered her things, stepping out the door. When it closed, Hisao got up and moved over to the couch, Mikaru sitting beside him.

"You were unsuccessful. Do you know why?"

Hisao looked at the ground, speaking in an aggravated tone.

"- No. I couldn't empty myself. What's your secret? Why couldn't I do it?"

Mikaru looked over at him, speaking slowly.

"You don't know. You should meditate on that, Hisao."

Hisao scoffed at his friend, standing up.

"I _tried_ meditating on it. I couldn't get relaxed enough, apparently."

Mikaru raised an eyebrow, smirking.

"Maybe then, you should find another environment to meditate in. Somewhere that you're more comfortable in than a room filled with two hard – working musicians and all the noise of technology."

Hisao looked at his friend, stammering a bit.

"Y – You knew I was going to fail here?"

Mikaru nodded, smiling sagely.

"Yes, I did. It's an important lesson for you to learn, though. Did you notice how hard it was to tune us out? It's because it was interesting to you. I left the television on, as well. There was white noise in the room the whole time, and it prevented you from relaxing. What does this tell you?"

Hisao thought about it, shaking off his annoyance as he did.

"I guess it means... I'm too concerned about my surroundings?"

Mikaru smiled widely at his friend.

"Very good observation. In fact, it is your observations that gave you trouble tonight. Yes, You are paying too much mind to the things around you, not focusing on what really matters. Now that you know what you're looking for, you should spend the next few days looking for it. So, instead of meeting me here, I would like for you to go out into your surroundings, and look for a place that is meaningful to you, but secluded as well. Somewhere you can really relax, and tune out all of the distractions so that you can achieve balance. Do you understand?"

Hisao, nodded, standing up and yawning before stretching out a bit, smiling.

"Well, I guess that makes sense. I'll go out tomorrow then, and try to find a place."

Mikaru gave a nod, turning to his bed. He gave a sigh, before he chuckled.

"- Good _god, _am I glad that I can stop playing _sensei._ Jeez, I hate being all sagely like that."

Hisao chuckled at his friend's tone, smiling.

"Alright, Man. Thanks for the time. Go to sleep now. I'll see you tomorrow morning, ne?"

Mikaru turned on his heel, stopping his friend.

"Hisao. There's... there's one more thing."

Hisao raised his eyebrow, crossing his eyebrows.

"I... Me and Hanako are together now."

Hisao smiled widely, walking up to his friend.

"Are you, now? That's good, man. I wasn't quite expecting it to happen so soon, but I can't say I'm disappointed either. To be honest, it's about that time; that girl is _crazy _about you, and I was worried you were going to go off dating someone else again."

Mikaru smiled a bit, shaking his head.

"I'm done being stupid, Hisao. I know what I want. I want Hanako. You never knew, but that's actually why I pulled away. I realized that I didn't have my priorities straight, so I sat down and dealt with them. I've got it together now, though. Go on, Hisao. You need to sleep."

Hisao smiled at his friend, nodding before leaving.

* * *

><p>When Carla got back to her room, Hanako was waiting outside of it. When she saw Hanako, she smiled, moving immediately to unlock her door.<p>

"Hey, Hanako. How was your day?"

Hanako paused at that, thinking.

"It – It was... good, I guess..."

Carla looked up at the girl, opening her door and smiling.

"Come in. You can tell me about it while I make some tea."

Hanako smiled, nodding her assent before following the girl in.

"- Hey, Hanako? You don't mind If I make myself a little more comfortable, do you?"

Hanako shook her head, and Carla smiled. At that, she reached down, unzipping her jeans and sliding them off.

"_God, _those things hurt. Okay!_"_

The girl stretched a bit, undoing the top button of her blouse before ruffling her clothing a bit with her hands.

"Why don't you take a seat?"

Hanako was balking at her friend, but nodded, sitting on the bench and pulling out her song booklet. As she looked it over, she put her finger on a key near the centre and pressed it, moving her finger and pressing another one.

"C – Carla? Is... is this..."

Carla paused, looking over at her friend with her ears perked. Hanako pressed the note again, and Carla's face lit up with happy recognition.

"Ah, that's Middle C. You know where that is?"

Hanako nodded, turning to the girl. She was currently pouring two cups, her arms carefully holding her electric kettle steady in her hands. When she finished, she took the two mugs in her hands, carrying them over to a table that rested beside her piano.

"- Here, this purple cup is for you. It's just a green tea packet I picked up a few days ago. Nothing special, but it beats water."

Hanako smiled, taking the mug and sipping on it a little. It was a little too hot for her, so she placed it down, turning back to the piano.

"So, Hanako, you never did tell me where you heard this song."

Hanako paused, her fingers hovering over the keys before she spoke.

"A – A friend showed it to – to me... a while a – ago..."

Carla smiled, scooching a little closer to the girl.

"_Ah. _Was this friend special to you?_"_

Hanako nodded her head. Carla smiled at that.

"Oh, you look _so cute _when you're bashful!"

Hanako blushed at her friend's words, listening to her as she went off.

"- You know, I've actually always thought you were pretty, Hanako. _So mysterious_, you know? I bet you could get _any guy_ if you perked up a little. They eat that stuff up, you know?"

Hanako was starting to feel uncomfortable with this conversation, although she appreciated her friend's words, so she decided to interject.

"W – What about... you, C – Carla? Who do – do _you _like?"

Carla froze a moment, before she went over and locked her door.

"I... do you promise not to laugh at me, or tell anyone?"

Hanako looked up at her friend, nodding.

"I... I don't really know who I like. I mean, I just know... I know that... it's not... _a guy._"

Hanako gasped at her friend's confession, turning more her way.

"I know... I know a lot of people, Hanako. Things are... well, things are different back home. I know it's a little... a little strange here, but... I can't help myself. I – I just don't look at guys... the same way I look at girls. My problem is, There's no one... no one quite like me, here. I like _a lot _of girls. They don't... they don't really like _me, _though."

Hanako felt like she could relate to that. At least, a little. Hanako had liked a few boys while she was at Yamaku, but until Mikaru came along, no one really gave her any serious consideration. It was hard, not knowing how to open up to people, and Hanako felt a little sad for her friend's plight.

"Hi – Hisao thought – thought that you and Mi – Mikaru were dating..."

Carla laughed, putting her head in her hands.

"I guess... I guess I could understand that. I was never really with anyone, you know? And then I started hanging around him like the plague. It only makes sense that people would think that. I think that if anyone could be capable of making me switch teams, it would be him, but I _sincerely _hope that Mikaru doesn't like me."

Hanako laughed a bit despite herself, smiling and shaking her head.

"He – _He doesn't..._"

Carla snapped her head up to her friend. She didn't really have feelings for him, but the way Hanako was so decisive about it couldn't help but make the girl a little sore.

"- Oh? Ouch, Hanako. You seem like you know something."

Hanako looked up at her friend, blushing.

"S – Sorry, C – Carla..."

Carla studied her face for a second.

"It's fine, Hanako. I'm just curious as to how you know, is all."

Hanako looked down at the floor, noticing for the first time the foot pedals that hovered over the ground. After Hanako didn't talk for a while, realization came across Carla's face.

"- Oh. You... you and Mikaru, are..."

Hanako froze a second, before she softly nodded her head.

Carla couldn't help the pathetic scoff that came out of her mouth. _That sucked. Royally._

"Keh. I... I probably should have... have seen it coming..."

Hanako snapped her eyes up to Carla's hunched figure.

"C – Carla? I – I thought you said -"

Hanako froze, the pieces of the puzzle snapping into place after a few moments. She looked back at the ground completely unsure how to handle this situation.

"_... Oh."_

_Carla... Carla had... feelings for me? Not Mikaru? I... I don't know what to say..._

Carla felt like _shit_. Thinking about getting shot down by _Hanako, _of all people, made her feel even worse. It's not that she thought little of Hanako, far from it, but...

"Hah... The one time I actually get to _have _this conversation with you... You're already taken. That... That..."

Hanako giggled at her friend, making her eyes snap up to her.

"It's – it's actually... Kind of funny, when you – when you p – put it like... that..."

Carla stared at the girl hard for a moment, watching her giggle about the sheer ridiculousness of this entire thing, before she too started laughing.

"I – I guess it is, Hanako."

The girls laughed for a minute, before Hanako gently put her right hand over Carla's, making the girl blush a bit.

"You... You're the f – first girl... to ever... just... let me talk to – to them, Carla... and t – talk to me – me back, like... like an e – equal."

Carla smiled at her, reaching her other hand over for a second, before she let go and took a deep breath, smiling.

"Okay! Are we doing this?"

Hanako smiled at the girl, nodding. They both hunched over the song and piano then, Carla showing her where her hand went.

"So, the first two bars are..."

* * *

><p>Mikki was standing in front of Mikaru's door after curfew. In her hand, was a note that she had written for him, which had taken her all night. She had just started bending down to slide it under when the door opened, with Mikaru standing before her. She couldn't move. She didn't imagine him being awake right now. <em>Then again, I don't really know all that much about him. <em>

"Mikki. Please, Come in."

Mikki stood up straight at the sound of his words, nodding soundly before she sheepishly stepped in, not knowing what to do.

"Mikki. Are you going to any sports events in the next 72 hours?"

She balked at his question, but shook her head. When he saw that, he pointed to his Mini fridge in the corner. She approached it slowly, noticing the two glasses that rested on top of it. Pausing at it, she opened it, seeing a partially opened bottle of scotch, one sealed bottle, and three or four cans of beer, as well as a few other things. Thinking for a moment, she decided that the liquor was the best choice, reaching for it. Pulling it out, she placed it on the table, before walking over and sitting beside him roughly.

"- heh. Didn't quite take you for a 'hard, straight from the bottle' kind of girl. Please, open it. You don't have to have any if you don't want."

She did, before taking a swig and placing it back on the table. The burn opened her pinched throat, and she felt the contrast of the cold, warmth, bitter and sweet work wonders on her nerves.

"I... I p – party, too, you know..."

Mikaru let out a dry chuckle, picking up the square bottle with his stubs before taking a swig of his own. He set it down, and she watched with a bit of jealousy as he didn't even gulp, just letting the alcohol move slowly down his throat.

"Do you?"

The conversation was tense, and almost forced. Mikki was very uncomfortable right now, but Mikaru looked genuinely apathetic. However, after Mikki took another swig, Mikaru spoke, his voice like a cold hammer against her stomach.

"- I take it you're here for more than the company. Or the booze."

She was about to set the bottle down, but instead brought it back to her lips, taking another swig before setting it down. She reached into the top of her shirt, pulling out her note. She placed it on the table, breaking the silence that had ensued after his words. Wordlessly, he slid it onto his arm, placing it on his knee and working the paper open. He was about to read it, but Mikki snatched it away, scrunching it up and throwing it into a corner. She stood up then, pacing.

"I – I'm no good at this crap. I know that a stupid little piece of paper wouldn't fix it, though. I – I was stupid, Mikaru. There, I said it. After – after you left that day, and I got detention, I started hearing those things, and it – it bothered me. I tried to look into it, but I – I made a stupid mistake, and it made me think that – that the others were right. God, I'm so stupid!"

She kept pacing. Mikaru watched her with a smirk on his face, the girl obviously distressed about this whole situation. He didn't speak though. He wanted a little bit more from the girl, if only to heal his pride.

"You – you didn't deserve those stupid things I said to you. You don't deserve to have the whole music class laughing at you behind your back, and you certainly don't need me harassing Hanako about you. I – I – I... I'm sorry."

Mikaru watched her, picking up the bottle on the desk and finishing it off roughly. He set the bottle down, shaking his head a bit before sitting back, his arms behind his head, looking at the ceiling. He waited a minute until she sat back down before he spoke.

"You feel any better?"

She looked at him hard, seeing his eyes closed before she scoffed, looking at the ground.

"I – No, not... not really."

"... I don't either. Ain't that a bitch?"

She laughed a bit at his frank speech, sitting back much in the same manner he was. Neither moved as they spoke back and forth, paying attention to pretty much nothing.

"Yeah. It is. This is... this is weird, isn't it?"

"- Hah! Yes it is, Mikki."

"Did you... did you know that I was going to come... to come by, tonight?"

"- No, as a matter of fact, I did not. In fact, I thought you were going to avoid me like the plague."

"I really wanted to, you know. I was contemplating just... just skipping that class for the rest of the year."

"Well, that's uncharacteristically cowardly."

"Hah! I guess you're right. I just – I made Hanako scream at me. _Hanako, screaming. _I wouldn't have come if not for her, actually."

"- you spoke to Hanako after the computer lab incident?"

"... No. I... I didn't."

"- She was crying, you know. In the park. I wouldn't have known, if not for the fact I had her number memorized."

"God, you _really _know how to make a girl feel like shit, don't you?"

"It's a gift. Apparently, you do too. She was scared I was going to be mad at her, you know."

"You say that like you're a couple."

"... We are."

"And yet, here you are, drinking with the girl who made her cry. You're... you're..."

"- don't put that on me. You're fucked up too."

She paused at that, opening her left eye and looking over to the boy. It was at times like this when she really understood the world for what it was. She turned her attention back up to the ceiling, closing her eyes and talking again.

"... We're all fucked, aren't we?"

Mikaru let out a chuckle at that. It was a tired sounding one, one that made her feel like she was talking to an old man.

"That we are, Mikki. That we are."

"... So, let's recap. I feel like shit. You feel like shit. I was a bitch. Many, many times, in fact. You're angry still. We're drinking together. Finally... the world is fucked?"

Mikaru looked over at the girl before turning his gaze to the roof. He didn't close his eyes this time.

"... Hey, Mikki? I've got a proposition for you. It's not sexual. Or in any way intimate, in fact. Interested?"

She paused, considering his words. Her legs were bouncing up and down a bit.

"... I'm listening..."

"I offer you forgiveness. My price is one, no bullshit, _no way in hell you'd ever lie about this _question. You answer the question, I give you forgiveness. Deal?"

She thought about it for a second, before she sighed wearily.

"... Shoot."

"- You're like, _holy shit _lesbian, aren't you?"

She laughed at his question, Sitting up straight before answering him.

"... That's... Let me lay this down for you. The short answer? Yes, I am _holy shit _lesbian. The long answer? I hang out with and kiss boys because I don't know anyone else who's straight up gay that isn't metro like Misha, and I'm not down for that. It's... it's really fucking depressing, actually. It's like, all I want is to find a _woman _to love, and the best I can find is a _really drunk _Emi at a party somewhere, or some random ugly – ass guy who looks like a chick. Is that... is that good?"

Mikaru sat up himself, chuckling.

"That's – That's good, Mikki. I'm sorry, I just wanted to make you feel like shit a bit before I got over this. Alright, I'm a man of my word. You are forgiven. I'll even let the others know, as a bonus."

Mikki laughed bitterly, smacking his arm.

"Well _god damn _if you aren't some kind of gentleman. Alright, jerk. I'm leaving. Thanks for the drink!"

She got up, stretching a bit before walking towards the door.

"Hey, wait a second, Mikki."

She stopped, turning to him.

"... Tezuka Rin. Snoozles, in the back... _maybe_ Carla Simpson. Not sure, though. Look into it."

Mikki smiled at him, nodding.

"You are a _weasel_, and _I like it! _Thank you, Mikaru. Now go to sleep!"

He laughed, standing up slowly before he walked over to his bed, falling into it. He was out like a light.

* * *

><p>The next day, Hanako was waiting outside the boy's dorm in the morning. When Mikaru came around the corner, holding his black bag, Hanako smiled at him.<p>

"Hey, Hanako. Sleep well?"

He walked up to her, and was pleasantly surprised when she leaned up, pulling his head down and kissing him.

"Y – yeah, Mikaru... I slept r – really well..."

He smiled at her. It was one of the first times she'd been able to say his name.

"... If I weren't in desperate need of a shower, I would kiss the _shit _out of you, Hanako..."

She giggled, stepping away.

"Can I... Can I wait for you... i – in your... in your room?"

He said yes. They walked up to his room, Hanako stopping off by Hisao's room for a moment. She was invited in, and he stripped down, walking towards the bathroom. He stepped into the stall.

... As he turned on the water, he realized that he would be in his room, naked as the day he was born, with Hanako.

He turned the water cold, letting the freezing water cascade off of him before he stepped out, realizing just how much _better _cold showers were in the mornings. Drying his head, he wrapped the towel around his midriff, stepping out into the main bathroom area to drip a little. Taking a deep breath, he psyched himself up, walking up to his door and knocking a little. After a moment, the door opened inwards, and Mikaru stepped inside. As the door closed, he heard it lock before he felt arms go around his midriff. Looking down, he saw the scarring on the right hand, and after that he felt Hanako's lips on his back. Still pinning the towel around his midriff, he turned around, looking at Hanako. She had a blush on her face, but was looking at him. Her eyes were scanning rapidly back and forth, observing every inch of muscle and every scar. If it were anyone else besides Hisao, he'd feel very uncomfortable right now, but Hanako was the only other exception.

"You... you're really... handsome, Mikaru..."

She pulled him backwards a little, walking him over to his couch before sitting him down, moving her legs over his to straddle him. She was kneeling on the couch, so she had a pretty good angle on him. She put her hands on the side of his face and kissed him, her eyes closed. After a short while, Mikaru moved his arms onto her hips, licking her lip. Her mouth opened as she drew in a breath, and Mikaru raised an arm to her face, deepening their kiss. She felt his tongue stroking hers, and it made her moan, immediately getting the idea. She stroked his tongue right back, feeling brave and pushing her body up so it was flush with his as she started to explore his mouth. As the kiss rose in passion, Hanako's body started shifting up and down on his crotch, and it wasn't too long before both were painfully aware of their situation. They pulled away from each other a little, Hanako sitting back on his lap. She felt him under her and a deep, rosy blush spread across her face. Mikaru was blushing too, but was a little dazed at her passion.

Her eyes burned with a question, and Mikaru knew what he had to say.

"... Hanako, what... what time is it?"

She shifted her eyes around the room, finding the clock and freezing in place.

"It's... uh... f – five... minutes..."

Mikaru chuckled, looking down a bit. Her hands were on his chest, and he realized that she must really like his chest.

"... This... this seems like... one of those things, that... that we have to... _continue later._"

She smiled, nodding and breathing heavily.

"R – R – Right, Mi – Mikaru..."

She started to get up, and Mikaru grabbed his towel to protect his modesty. She was thoroughly embarrassed by the whole thing, but was also feeling a strange sense of bubbly pride and happiness too. She had _never _done anything like that before, and it made her heart burst to know what kind of effect she had on Mikaru. Once she had gotten off, Mikaru had managed to stand, barely managing to hide his excitement. Hanako gawked a bit at the sight, but quickly turned away. He let out a bit of a chuckle, and Hanako just ducked her head a bit. After a minute, she felt his arm on her shoulder, and she spun quickly, wrapping her arms around him.

"Do we... do we have to... to go to c – class today? Mikki will..."

Mikaru looked down at the girl, sighing a bit before talking.

"Well, would you really want to go if Mikki was there or not?"

She thought about it for a second, before shaking her head.

"Alright, we won't go then. Although, Hanako I should say that Mikki actually came by and apologized to me last night."

She looked up at him, and he tightened his arms around her.

"She – she did?"

"Yeah. I forgave her, too. I mean, it still pisses me off, and it doesn't change that it happened, but I just didn't think it would do us any good to have that kind of pressure on us, you know? All of us."

She nodded a little, pushing against him. He let her sit him back down on the couch, and he pulled out his phone. After a few rings, someone picked up.

"_- Nakai. May I ask who's calling?"_

"Hey, Hisao. It's Mikaru. This is my number, so take it down. Hanako said she was feeling sick today, so I decided to stay back and take care of her. Can you relate that message to Mutou and Lilly?"

"_... Yeah, okay. I got the number. Thanks for telling me. Hey, am I on speaker?"_

He looked over at Hanako before picking up the phone, holding his head to the side and hovering the phone underneath it.

"It's a _pain in the ass_, but no, you're not. What's up?"

"_... I went out last night. Found a spot. It was as peaceful as could be, but it didn't help a bit."_

Mikaru chuckled a bit, answering his friend.

"... Well, You're a logical man, Hisao. If you couldn't find what you were looking for, then what could the problem?"

Hisao thought about that for a short while, before his voice came back on the line.

"_... Well, the only thing I can think of, which you would say, that's infuriating and sagely is that 'Maybe you weren't searching for the right thing, Hisao. You should Meditate on that_'... _Wait. Oh, no. Oh no no no no no. Don't you tell me that that was exactly what– DAMMIT, MIKARU! YOU JERK!_"

Hisao hung up the line, leaving Mikaru to toss his phone onto the table and laugh a bit. Sitting back, he looked over to Hanako, who was sitting stiffly on the end of the couch.

"Hanako, are you... are you comfortable right now?"

She looked at him, shaking her head.

"Hmm. That's a problem. You know what? _You -_"

Mikaru stood up, walking over to his bed and pulling the comforter off of it. He dragged it across the floor towards the couch, talking.

"_- Look a little cold, Hanako."_

He threw himself back onto the couch, pulling the comforter onto himself. "Join me?"

She smiled sheepishly at him, nodding as she scurried under the blanket with the boy, snuggling into his warmth. He kicked back, his arm wrapping around her shoulder. He decided that _now _was an _amazing _time for a movie.

"So, Hanako, feel like watching a movie?"

She nodded, looking at the screen as Mikaru smacked the armrest, turning it on. Hanako reached over him, pulling the remote out of it's spot before she flicked through the list of movies, finding one that was suitable. Much to Mikaru's surprise, it was an action movie.

"... '_Jackie Chan's First Strike_'? Damn, Hanako. You are just _full _of surprises."

She giggled, snuggling into him and setting the remote on top of the comforter. As the opening scene played, Hanako snuggled into his side happily, her right hand resting on his stomach, he realized that, for the first time that he could remember...

_Holy shit. I'm... this is... I'm actually Happy. I'm – I'm happy, aren't I?_

He turned his head for a second, kissing Hanako on her crown before leaning into her a bit, A smile working it's way onto his face. Hanako noticed, of course, and snuggled deeper into him, feeling her own happiness work it's way through her as she relaxed into him.

* * *

><p>When the movie was over, they found another one, and were about to put it on when they heard knocking on the door. Mikaru shook Hanako awake, sliding her off of him and hiding her head under the covers. Walking over to the door, he opened it, only to find Hisao and Lilly on his doorstep.<p>

"Oh, Hi Lilly, Hisao. What's up? Is it lunchtime already? Hanako and I were just about to start a movie."

The two teenagers smiled, Hisao leading Lilly into the door. Mikaru slid back into his place under the covers, and Hanako scooted onto his lap, leaving Lilly and Hisao room on the other end. Hisao sat Lilly down before grabbing Mikaru's spare blanket, wrapping it over them. Lilly giggled a bit, but reached around before snuggling into him. After everyone was comfortable, Mikaru picked up his phone, placing a call.

"_... Who is it? Who gave you this number!?"_

"... Kenji. It's Mikaru. I'm calling in that favor now."

There was a pause on the other end, before Kenji sighed heavily and made no noise for a second.

"_... Dammit. Whaddaya need?"_

"... Your mission is: to head down to the gate in an hour, receive the food that arrives, bring it to my room. The bags will be tied. They are _not _to be untied or cut open. I'll even give you 5000 yen. Deal?"

Kenji paused again, considering.

"_... That's your favor? Fine, dude, but for the record, I was hoping it would pertain more to the Feminist Conspiracy."_

Lilly and Hanako's heads snapped towards the phone, and their hands came up to their mouths. Mikaru spoke.

"Oh, Kenji. Foolish, foolish man. _Whoever said that it didn't?_"

Kenji spoke immediately.

"_What's happening? What does that mean?"_

Mikaru laughed a bit, looking at the group as he spoke.

"Oh, I'm deep, _deep... undercover. _Me and Hisao both, actually. We've found rats in the floorboards, and they aren't the only things ready to squeak."

The girls and Hisao were on the verge of tears, trying to hold in their laughter as Mikaru played Kenji like a fiddle. The girls were also laughing at the ridiculous premise of a _Feminist Conspiracy_.

... The absolutely raunchy innuendo wasn't helping, either.

"_... You are a brave, brave man. If it's for the cause, make it 2000 and you've got a deal!"_

Mikaru smiled.

"Thank you, Kenji. Hang up."

The line clicked, and they all burst into laughter.

"'Rats in the floorboards'? Feminist Conspiracy?"

Lilly laughed at that. Hanako giggled, snuggling her head into Mikaru's chest.

"Hisao, call for food."

Hisao nodded, chuckling as he pulled out his phone and started dialling. As he did, Hanako looked up at Mikaru, giggling still.

"You... You s – sure are l – lazy, for someone that – that w – works so hard to – to look good!"

Lilly looked over at her friend's words, laughing still but her eyebrows raised. She was starting to suspect that _she and Hisao weren't the only ones snuggling close. _She'd let it slide for now, though. Hanako would tell her if something was going on, or _at least _Hisao would.

They settled in, finding a movie they all agreed on (or at least didn't hate) and turned it on.

... Hanako and Mikaru were patient, because it was _The Notebook, _thanks to Lilly and Hisao.

* * *

><p>Two hours later, Hisao and Lilly were bawling on the couch, holding each other. Mikaru was asleep, and Hanako was awake, looking up at the boy. Their food, which they mostly finished, had been long forgotten. After a short while, the two others fell asleep, leaving only Hanako awake. After a while, she shifted around, straddling him, and placed a kiss on his jaw.<p>

"_Mikaru._"

He stirred slowly, feeling the position they were in, and moved his head down slowly, looking at Hanako. She was looking at him intently, her hands resting on his chest. She moved her head beside his, whispering into his ear.

"_Carla should... be coming over soon. Do you... do you want to go... go for a... a walk, first?_"

Mikaru watched as she pulled her head back, knowing that he was not a good whisperer. She looked into his eyes deeply, watching him as he nodded, reaching behind her and prodding the covers off of them. He stood up slowly, Hanako's arms wrapping themselves around his neck, and he set her down gently. They sneaked out of the room, leaving their friends there.

Stepping out into the daylight, they looked both ways before making their way along the path. As they walked, both Hanako and Mikaru looked over to the tree at the edge of the gardens, almost at exactly at the same time. After that, Hanako looked up at him, and he looked back at her.

"The... the tree... it's... it's Emi's, isn't – isn't it?"

Mikaru smiled softly, nodding his head.

"Yeah. After I brought you down to the nurse that one time you had cut your knees up, I found myself being chased by her, and managed to shake her by jumping into it."

Hanako looked at it again, before looking back to him right after.

"You... you jumped into it? J – just to get away from E – Emi?"

Mikaru laughed a bit, smiling at the memory.

"- Yup, I sure did. She was on a warpath. Too bad for her. She could have avoided getting that concussion, too..."

Hanako thought about that for a second before giggling at it.

"That... That sounds... _ouch._"

Mikaru laughed, taking Hanako further down the path, and stopping at the entrance to the forest. Hanako walked ahead a bit, grabbing his arms and walking backwards. She smiled at him as she did, and the scene was one that he didn't think he would ever forget. Pink blossoms were falling around her, and she looked so happy then, so strong and carefree, that it almost made him want to cry. He just settled for giving her a beaming smile, though. As _If _he was about to cry in front of Hanako over something like this.

Mikaru stopped them as they reached the clearing. She turned around, holding his arm and pulling him along. He walked slowly, observing the scene around him.

Most of the leaves were gone, now. They had blown away with the wind, likely sucked upwards and spread around the forest. The tree had been wiped clean of blood by rain, the same rains that had managed to push his blood into the earth. All around the clearing, flowers of various shades of white, red, purple, pink and a sparse smattering of blue were blooming. The tree it's self was still mulched a bit where he had been hitting it. On the ground by the tree, the sweater was sitting bundled up in something of a neat pile. Hanako and Mikaru walked over to the tree, smiling as the wind brushed leaves around the area. When they reached the bast of the ancient tree, they stopped, standing over the sweater.

Mikaru bent over, picking it up and placing it in Hanako's hands. She held it, smelling it's musky smell, looking over at the tree. After a moment, she stepped up to the tree, finding two stubs that had used to be branches, and secured the sleeves to it, the sweater now resting over the mulched bark like a bandage. She stepped back, turning around and running a bit through the flowers. She laughed as a butterfly flew past her nose, and she spun on it, chasing it a little. Mikaru just stood by the tree, watching as Hanako flounced about merrily. She looked over to him, and ran his way, grabbing his arms and pulling him away from the tree. She paused for a second, poking him in the side, and running away giggling. Mikaru laughed, giving her five seconds before chasing after her, enjoying their impromptu game of tag.

Hanako was running around the clearing, bobbing this way and that, until Mikaru managed to lightly prod her with his stub, turning on his heel and running from her. She stopped, spinning on him and gave chase, giggling and gasping as she ran. Eventually, he pretended to stumble much like he did before with Hisao, and she laughed more, running towards him before coming down on top of him, _oofing_ and giggling as he rolled them around. After a couple of turns, she was on top of him again, her legs on either side of his torso and her hands beside his head, breathing heavily with a smile on her face. Her hair hung over their faces like a veil, giving him a clear view of her whole face. He smiled back at her, raising a stub and placing it on the right side of her face. He spoke as he did that.

"_You're beautiful_, Hanako."

She smiled widely, bringing her right hand up to his stub, holding it in place.

"_I... I love you, Mikaru..."_

His heart almost stopped at her words, and he smiled even wider. He brushed his stub around her face, pushing through her hair and bringing her face down to his. He kissed her softly, passionately, and she obliged him, giving just as good as she was getting. After a short while, she pulled her head up, looking down at him with her smile still on her face.

"I... I love you too, Hanako. You... _you make me... happy..._"

She teared up at his words and he rose up, taking her into his arms. She was sitting on his lap, and her arms were wrapped around his neck. His arms were across her back in their usual V shape, his one arm across her back and his other cradling her head against his chest. They sat like this for a long time, holding each other, their hearts beating fast in their chests as they did. A particularly strong gust of wind made Hanako shiver, and Mikaru pulled them up, standing on his feet and holding Hanako up to his chest. She was standing on her tip – toes, on top of his feet, which helped give her the extra height to hold him still.

"Let's head back, Hanako. The others are probably worried by now."

Hanako nodded at him, stepping back and sliding her hands down his shoulder, grasping his arm. They walked out of the clearing and back towards the dormitories.

When they got back, Hanako hugged him, parting ways, and Mikaru went back to his dorm. As Hanako was walking, she noticed Emi sitting by her tree. Hanako decided to head back in her direction. Arriving at the tree, Emi looked up, greeting her with a small smile.

"Hi, Hanako. How are things?"

Hanako considered it for a moment, as well as the amazing day she'd had so far, before smiling, sitting beside the girl again.

"Th – they're great, E – Emi... What about – what about you?"

Emi sighed, looking down a bit.

"Well, I'm... I'm okay, Hanako. I just... I miss Mikaru. I miss being able to hold his arm, or... kiss him... It's – It's not been the same. I mean, I see him everyday at the track, but..."

Hanako looked over at the girl. Hearing her words, she couldn't help but feel a little sad for the girl.

"Did you... did you l – love him?"

Emi looked over at Hanako, who was watching her expectantly. She sighed, hugging her knees.

"I – I don't know, Hanako. I think I might have, but... it was just too soon to tell. This... this was our tree, you know. We spent a lot of time together here, just... just having fun, you know? We would talk here, and sometimes, he would put me on his shoulders and help me reach one of the apples up there. It was... it's special to me, you know?"

She looked up at the clouds, lying back and inhaling deeply. Hanako shifted her body to look more at the girl, not so interested in the clouds right now.

"... Part of me wonders... if it's special to him, too..."

Hanako smiled, reaching her hand out and grasping Emi's.

"I think... I think it – it is, Emi. Just because... because you aren't with him a – anymore, doesn't mean that you – that you can't hold on t – to the... the memories..."

Emi looked up at Hanako, smiling a little. Hanako continued, still holding the girl's hand.

"He was... he was telling me about it, you know... The – the tree. He told me how you two became... became friends. He was... he was smiling, too. M – Mikaru is... Mikaru is a very unique person. He – he doesn't regret a single thing he – he does, and even if... even if he isn't always... happy, he still looks back f – fondly at the good times he's... he's had."

Hanako was looking out at the clouds now, smiling as she spoke. Emi looked up at the girl, processing his words. Something clicked in her head, and she spoke softly, gazing at Hanako.

"You... you said, 'isn't always' there. Was he... did he tell you he was happy?"

Hanako smiled a bit, speaking softly.

"He – He did. Just... just now, actually..."

Emi felt a pool of conflicting emotions in her chest at her words, and their implications. _Hanako makes him happy. Not me. I couldn't... I couldn't make him happy. I – I want to be jealous, or mad, at Hanako, but... but she deserves this, just as much as he does. _

"- I should... I should th – thank you, Emi."

Emi's thoughts died in her head, as she sat up a bit, listening to Hanako.

"The... the first time we... we spoke, he told me that... that he would never love again. Later, he told me that... that he couldn't be happy anymore. I couldn't give that to him, but... but you did. You... you showed him how to – how to be happy again. So... thank you..."

Emi smiled widely, listening to the girl as she spoke. Although she couldn't be with him anymore like Hanako was, her words were exactly the thing she needed to feel happy about it, and eventually move on.

"You're... you're welcome... Hanako..."

They sat there for a while, holding hands and just thinking about Mikaru, the boy who had captured both of their hearts. Eventually, Emi let go and stood up, looking into the tree. Hanako looked as well, following her gaze. She smiled at the thought of Mikaru jumping up and trying to grab that, giggling.

"... It really was funny, Hanako. He... He stood in place for a second, and he leaped _so _high... I was amazed. He climbed onto that branch there, swinging himself on top of it. Maybe... maybe one day, you can see it too, huh Hanako?"

Hanako looked over at Emi smiling, giving her a nod. Emi smiled back, and the two of them decided that that was what they should leave it at, and did.

End of Chapter Twenty – Five: Behind These Bars, Meditations and Revelations!

Next Time: Chapter Twenty – Six: Behind These Bars, a Night on the Town!


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter Twenty – Six: Behind These Bars, a Night on the Town!**

* * *

><p>Originally, when Mikaru had spoken to Hanako about the Wedding, Hanako had refused. However, the day after they confessed their love for each other, Hanako had reconsidered, and Mikaru immediately phoned Mr. Osamuki, telling him of the change in their plans. Mr. Osamuki was delighted, writing them in immediately, before telling them about exactly where and when the venue was. He also told them that the wedding was going to be a Catholic – Shinto mix, and to prepare accordingly. At that, Mikaru had decided that while it wasn't exactly normal or even proper, a night on the town to find proper attire, as well as just celebrate a bit, was in order.<p>

Now, it was Friday afternoon, and Hanako, Carla, Mikki and Mikaru were heading out in a cab.

Carla was coming to help with Hanako's clothes, and Mikki was coming with Carla to make her not a third wheel. Currently, they were both in the process of flirting with each other, getting a feel for the other girl's wants, needs and likes.

While they were in the cab, Hisao was sitting in Lilly's room, meditating. As it turned out, that night on the couch helped put things in perspective for him, as well as get him used to the idea of intimate contact with Lilly, so currently he was familiarizing himself with the environment. Lilly wasn't exactly sure what his real reason was, but she was happy to have him, as his presence made her happy whether or not they were actually talking. Secretly, she had been freaking out as well, and this was just as good for her nerves as it was for his.

* * *

><p>When they arrived in the town, dressed in comfortable clothing, Mikaru decided that before anything, a bit of food was in order. So, he took them all to a cafe in town, where they sat outside enjoying the weather, the company and some snacks. Hanako looked a little uncomfortable, but Mikaru's arm in her hands helped take her mind off of the staring, so she figured that she could manage so long as he was with her.<p>

Carla and Mikki were talking to each other, laughing about an event that happened in their music class involving a trombone and a piece of chewing gum. As they all laughed at that, Mikaru looked up and started on his own tale.

"- Haha! _He sniped the teacher? _Man, that's pretty bad, but that's _nothing_ compared to what happened at one of the rehearsals for my first piece. Now, picture this: The best, most esteemed musicians in the country. All gathered in one room. Listening to a nine year – old talking _shop_. Tensions are naturally high, right? Well, this one guy named Dan was a real hard – ass, and decided that he wanted to start questioning my every move. After a while, one of the girls got fed – up, so they replaced his water with Ipecac syrup, and he vomited _right into the trumpet!_ It was _disgusting_!"

The girls wrinkled their noses, laughing at the absurdity of the idea.

"What were they, like, in their twenties? That's so juvenile!"

They laughed some more, talking about funny things they had seen before, until they finished up and left. At this point, they were going to two different stores, so Mikaru gave Hanako the information she would need to give the store to pay, and parted down the street a ways. The girls entered the store excitedly, looking around at all of the dresses before an attendant came up to them smiling.

"Hi there, and welcome to the Arata Masami Bridal House! Can I help you with anything today, or are you just browsing?"

The woman was looking between the girls. She noticed that the one in the middle, whom had scars on her face, was shrinking a bit into herself, so she made a mental note to make her feel comfortable at once. The girl on the right, a cute – looking girl with one hand, spoke.

"Hey there! Our friend here, Hanako, has been invited to attend a wedding, and needs something beautiful to wear to impress her date!"

The woman nodded, looking the girl up and down, before smiling, and speaking.

"Oh, is that so? Well, I think I can _certainly _find something to accommodate that. Before we begin though, let's sit down over there in the corner, where we can chat and get comfortable with each other, as well as discuss some of the finer details. Shall we?"

She held her right hand out to Hanako, who extended hers slowly before grasping it. The woman smiled, pulling her lightly away from her friends for a moment, rubbing her hand down Hanako's arm.

"My, you have a _wonderful _figure! This is going to be _so fun! _Right this way!"

She started walking, and Hanako smiled at the compliment, walking with the lady. The two girls looked at each other smiling, before they followed suit.

* * *

><p>Mikaru stepped in to the store, looking around before he walked up to the desk.<p>

"E – Excuse me, mam? Is... is the manager in today?"

The woman looked up at Mikaru, thinking seriously for a second before nodding, giving him a smile.

"... Yes, he is. Would you like me to get him down here?"

Mikaru cleared his throat, taking a deep breath before speaking.

"Y – Yes, please. Tell him that... that his nephew is looking for him."

The woman frowned a bit, looking seriously before picking up her phone, dialling a number before speaking.

"Hi, Mr. Souta? A young man claiming to be your nephew is here, looking for -"

There was stomping heard from above, thundering down the wall before the door to the rear of the shop was opened, an aged oriental man with graying hair standing wide, gawking at the sight of the boy.

"_Mi – Mikaru – Kun?!"_

Mikaru raised his arm, waving at the man with a sad smile on his face. The woman just stood there, watching the sight with a mixture of discomfort, sadness, shock, and joy.

"H – Hi, Oji. I – it's been... too long..."

The man ran up to the boy, stopping just short of reaching the boy. He reached his hands out, tears welling in the corners of his eyes and touched him, feeling the man he had become.

"It... it... it has, Mikaru – Kun..."

He wrapped his arms around the boy, hugging him tightly. Mikaru hugged him back fiercely, his heart stammering in his chest. After a minute – long embrace, they let go, his Uncle holding his arms, looking him up and down.

"You – you've changed _so much _in five years, Mikaru... When did – _when did you get out?_"

The woman decided that, at that, it was definitely her break. She turned around, putting headphones in before sitting behind the counter, and eating a sandwich.

"It – it was just about half a year, now. I've... I've been going to a high school, up in the mountains called Yamaku Academy. I... I completed the _Hyakunin Kumite, _youngest person ever_. And... I met someone._"

The man kept looking between the boy's eyes and his body, smiling a little each more at each word he said.

"- The _Hyakunin Kumite, _huh? You certainly _look _like a martial artist! You have a girlfriend, now? Is she as pretty as your mom?"

Mikaru gasped a bit at the words, nodding a bit.

"She's... she's beautiful, Oji. We're attending a – a wedding soon, actually. That's why... that's why I came here, today."

The man smiled widely at the boy, patting his shoulder.

"Ah! Come to support your _favourite tailor, _ne? Hah, well you've come to the _right _shop! I'll get you looking like a man in no time! Maybe you can purchase more, and make a permanent switch, eh?"

Mikaru laughed a bit, choking before speaking.

"I'm – I'm definitely buying two, Oji. I don't know if I could really handle any more though, on account of my disability."

The man picked up Mikaru's arms, examining the stubs with a bit of sadness.

"Two, you say? What's... what's the other one for?"

Mikaru smiled, lifting his Uncle's gaze.

"It's – it's for a _concert, _Oji. I'm still – _I'm still composing_. I'm going to pick up some percussion instruments soon, as well."

The man beamed up at the boy, his tears now falling unbidden.

"You are a _stubborn man_, Mikaru – Kun. Like me! _I will be attending your first concert in six years._ You can't stop me on this!"

Mikaru shook his head, smiling.

"I wouldn't dare, Oji..."

The man laughed, pulling him along to the back.

"Okay! Let's get you suited up!"

* * *

><p>Hanako, Carla, Mikki and the attendant were laughing on the couch, looking through a booklet and sipping on some tea. Abruptly, the woman set hers down, standing up.<p>

"Miss Hanako? I'd like to get some proper measurements, so I can start finding you dresses that would be a good fit. Do you mind standing, please?"

Hanako shook her head, stand up and raising her arms a little. The woman turned around from her place, pulling out a measuring tape before she walked up to her, pushing her arms down and measuring them first.

"Your arms are nice and long. I think something that is sleeveless, but then having you wear matched sleeves, is a good idea. We want to bring out your bust, which is considerable. Actually, it is... _86! _I'm jealous; I'm only 7_8! We definitely want to bring these out. _Okay, now for your waist... 54. Your hips are... 84. You have a great hourglass shape to you! _So cute. _Oh, you know what? I think I just stocked the _perfect dress _for you! Good thing you have no price limit!"

Hanako was blushing, but she smiled anyway. As the girls went into the back, she pulled out a dress and handed it to her.

"Okay, Hanako. You go try this on. Me and the others will wait for you over there, by the change room. If you need help, please feel free to ask. Oh, and we also stock anything else you'd need to wear the dress, so don't forget that. Shoo!"

She giggled as Hanako walked over into the changing room, before she turned to the others and smiled.

"She's a sweet girl, that Hanako. Who's the lucky guy who's taking her out, anyhow?"

They laughed between each other, turning back to the woman. Carla smiled.

"- He's a hand – less foreign composer who's six foot seven, built like a god, has the _prettiest _blue, green and copper eyes, and whom owns a tech firm. Oh! And he's a really great person, too. Holds a world record for being the youngest person to _ever _complete the _Hyakunin Kumite_, and is the first to do so without hands. Or, who's disabled, for that matter."

The woman chuckled, glancing disbelievingly between the two grinning girls.

"You're _kidding! _He sounds like a _dream!_ How old is he?"

Mikki smiled, talking then.

"Same age as Hanako over there; 18."

The woman gawked, her hands coming to her mouth.

"Oh, this _has _to be a hoax! All that before _18? _He sounds like a maelstrom!"

The girls laughed a bit more, before Carla shook her head.

"Not at _all!_"

The girls giggled a bit more before walking over to the change room, knocking on the door.

"Hanako? How are you in there? Is everything ok?"

After a moment, the door opened a crack, and they took it as their cue to walk in. The sight before them stole their breath, and made the attendant smile. _Oh, I DO know how to pick them..._

The girls walked up to the counter, paying for the dress before heading out of the store, the attendant waving happily at them. Outside, against the wall, Mikaru was standing with a slightly older man, chatting a bit. When the girls walked out, Mikaru's head snapped over in their direction, and he instantly smiled.

"Hey, Hanako! Come here, I want you to meet someone special!"

Hanako looked between the two girls before quickly walking over to Mikaru, giving him a big hug before looking up at him.

"Hanako, this is my _Oji._ Oji, this... is _Hanako._"

The girl snapped her attention to the smiling man, and recognized the warm, cheeky smile to be the same one that Mikaru himself wore. She smiled, bowing her head to the man.

"H – Hello, Souta – sama. It – it's g – good to m – meet you..."

The man smiled, opening his arms to the girl. She froze for a second before she walked up to him, hugging him slowly. His arms came behind her back, and he released after a second, smiling at the girl.

"Mikaru – Kun was right! You _are beautiful! _He could barely stop talking about you!"

She blushed, smiling widely and looking down at the ground.

"R – Really?"

The jubilant man chuckled, looking over to Mikaru.

"Oh, that's right! He thinks you're the greatest thing under the sun!"

Mikaru blushed a bit at his Oji's words. The man looked back at Hanako, his face growing serious for a moment.

"- Hey! _You call me Oji too, _Hanako – chan!"

The man smiled widely at the girl, who's head snapped up at his words.

"O – okay... _Oji_..."

Hanako turned around, hiding into Mikaru's chest. He chuckled, wrapping his arms securely around her.

"- Alright, Oji, _settle down._ I don't want you scaring her off, or anything."

The man chuckled, scratching the back of his head. At that, the other two girls walked up to the three, smiling and laughing as they went up to speak.

"Mikaru, you will _not_ believe your eyes when you see Hanako on Sunday!"

"- Yeah, she's going to be a _bombshell!_"

Mikaru glanced back and forth between his two friends, noticing that they were standing closely to each other.

"Well, I can't wait then. Hopefully, _this old fool of an Oji over here _still has his touch..."

The words were said in jest, and Oji took mock – offence to them in turn.

"Hey, my work is _gold, _kid! I will make you look better than you ever have!"

He smacked Mikaru lightly on the back of the head, and Mikaru put his arm up to it, laughing. The two girls looked back and forth between the two, noting the similarities and the familiar tones, before smiling.

"... so, _this _is where your _annoying _comes from..."

The two men snapped their heads over to the girls, frowning. In unison, they both spoke, making the girls laugh.

"_- Hey, I'm not annoying!"_

The two men looked at each other, laughing as well. After the laughter died, Mikaru looked over at the girls, pulling out his wallet. He pulled out 10,000 Yen, passing it to them.

"... I think that me and Hanako should take my Oji out tonight. You two can use that to get back, as well as go do something fun for yourselves. Thank you for coming and helping Hanako with this, you two. It means a lot to me."

The two girls smiled at Mikaru, taking the money and nodding.

"No problem, Mikaru. Thanks for this; it's nice to finally have some fun!"

"- Yeah, I couldn't _stand it _in Yamaku. Nothing cool to do, like here in the city. Have a good night, you guys!"

The two girls turned away then, making their way down the street. Mikaru turned to his Oji, Hanako stepping out from the cover of his chest and standing beside him, her arms wrapped around his left.

"So, Oji. You down? My treat, anywhere in the city."

The man looked at Mikaru and Hanako with pride, smiling widely.

"- Oh, I know the _perfect _place, you two! It's not too far from here. Quickly, we're burning daylight!"

* * *

><p>The restaurant was small, quiet, and very nice, having a very dark atmosphere with handles illuminating the sitting areas. There were a number of booths lining the walls, as well as a few tables sitting in the centre. Oji waved down a waitress, who smiled at the three.<p>

"Ah, Hello again Mr. Souta. You have company with you this time?"

Oji smiled, stepping forward.

"Yes, Atsuko. My nephew has returned after a long absence, and he's brought his girlfriend with him. He offered to treat us tonight, so I thought that this place would be the _only one _for us!"

Atsuko the Waitress laughed a bit, looking past him at the couple.

"- I do hope he's prepared for _the bill_, unlike your last guest..."

Oji chuckled awkwardly, scratching the back of his head.

"Hehehe... Mr. Taichi told me to apologize about that..."

Atsuko rolled her eyes, beckoning them along to a booth.

"Here you are, Mr. Souta. Please enjoy your stay!"

Mikaru, Oji and Hanako all took a seat then, setting down and getting into a conversation.

* * *

><p>Carla and Mikki were sitting across from each other, eating in silence. Mikki was glancing up at Carla, whom was twirling a fork in her noodles.<p>

"Hey, Carla? Who are you dating right now?"

Carla looked up at the girl, frowning a little.

"I'm – uh... I'm not seeing anyone. You?"

Mikki laughed a bit, setting her chopsticks down.

"Me? No one. I just... I can't find anyone I really click with, you know?"

Carla smiled a bit, nodding her head.

"Well, surely you at least _like _someone... I mean, you know _tons _of guys thanks to the Track Team."

Mikki looked at Carla, smiling a bit.

"Well... that doesn't really help _me _much..."

Carla raised her brow, suddenly becoming much more interested.

"What do you mean by that?"

Mikki blushed a bit, looking seriously at her.

"Well... I haven't really told anyone, but... _I'm gay._"

Carla almost dropped her fork.

"- _you too? Really?_"

Mikki smiled like a wolf at the girl. _Mikaru, I SO owe you one..._

"- Yeah. It's – it's not new, either. I just never knew anyone who was open about it, and was interested."

Carla leaned forward, her hands coming in front of her face a bit.

"- Mikki! You should have _told someone!_ You could get any girl you wanted looking like you do!"

Mikki blushed the tiniest bit, her hand coming to rest under her chin.

"... _anyone, Carla?_"

Carla blushed, but nodded quickly.

"I... _well, yeah. Anyone._"

Mikki grinned at the girl, picking up some food with her chopsticks and placing it into her mouth. Carla blushed, but she smiled right back, glancing down at her fork before looking back up at Mikki.

"Do you – do you wanna get out of here?"

Mikki pushed her chopsticks under her food, standing up. They went to the counter, paid for the food and stepped outside, stretching a bit before they started walking. Carla had her head down, staring at the ground as she walked. Mikki, on the other hand, waited until they were past any windows before she reached her hand out, stopping her. She turned the girl to face her, backing her up against a wall. Carla was looking into her eyes, blushing a bit and breathing heavily. Carla's heart was beating faster and faster in her chest, her mind going fuzzy as Mikki raised her hand to cup her cheek, pushing herself against her. When their chests met in the middle, Carla could feel Mikki's heart beating just as fast as hers was, and she leaned her head in. Mikki met her halfway, their lips coming together in a tender, passionate kiss. Carla put her hands on Mikki's hips, pulling her into her. Mikki gasped at that, and Carla decided that she wanted more, so she licked Mikki's lips a little before stroking Mikki's tongue. Mikki moaned, kissing her back heavily. It was about a minute later when they broke apart for air, gasping and resting their foreheads together. Mikki spoke, her breath having returned first.

"I think... I think I wanna... take you home now..."

Carla giggled, nodding.

"O – Okay, Mikki... I... I think I would like that, too..."

Mikki giggled herself, grabbing her hand and pulling her along to the sidewalk. After two minutes, they managed to flag down a cab, and soon after they were speeding off towards Yamaku, both girls wearing massive grins and blushing from their excitement.

* * *

><p>Oji, Hanako and Mikaru were talking when their food arrived.<p>

"So, Mikaru, what have you been doing to afford all this?"

Mikaru smiled.

"I started a tech firm while I was in. It's called _AttainableTech, _and we deal in computing hardware and software for handicapped persons. We offer a wide variety of products for a large scope of price ranges, ranging from equivalent entry – level computer builds, to full – scale, enthusiast – class systems. We're also a registered partner of Microsoft, which means I do a large majority of their accessibility designing."

Oji nodded, smiling.

"That sounds like a nice company. Do you do charity work at all?"

Hanako smiled, talking then.

"Y – yes, Oji. They d – donated the computers to our school, f – for example."

Oji chuckled, grabbing a bite of his food and smiling.

"It's so like you, Mikaru. I'm really happy you found a job that you enjoy so much."

Mikaru smiled, letting Hanako feed him a bite of food. As she did, Oji got serious for a second, resting his hands in front of him. Hanako and Mikaru noticed this, straightening up and turning to the man. Oji waited for a second, looking at Hanako seriously before speaking.

"... Hanako. Do you know where Mikaru has been for the past four years?"

Hanako nodded, speaking strongly.

"Mikaru... Mikaru told me first, out of... out of anyone. He made sure... made sure that I knew his situation before we... we became friends."

Oji looked over at Mikaru seriously for a second, before smiling widely again.

"... Good man. Some people would be ashamed of that kind of thing."

Mikaru stiffened up, his arms coming to rest on the table in the same manner his Oji's had.

"Well I... I was. Hanako... Hanako helped me see that it wasn't my fault, and... and move on. I wouldn't be here... if it weren't for her..."

Oji's face softened, glancing back and forth between the two teens before he sat back, closing his eyes and resting his hands on his stomach.

"Heh... I'm glad you see that now, Mikaru. _Even if it took you five years to do it._ Have you... have you spoken to your mother recently?"

Mikaru looked down at the table, examining his arms. Hanako saw the obvious distress he was in, reaching out and grabbing his arm and holding it in her hands. He looked over, offering a sad smile before looking up at his Oji and talking.

"I... I haven't. I wasn't ready to face her yet, and I don't want the first time I... the first time I speak to her since that fight to be over a – _a phone._ It's not fair to either of us, and she especially deserves better."

Oji opened his eyes at his words, leaning forward.

"I should be mad at you, for being selfish... I'm not, though. You've always been a very old – fashioned boy, and it makes sense that... that you'd feel that way. It goes beyond even anything _over here._"

_Over here _meant Japan, as opposed to the relatively relaxed culture of Canada, his home country. Mikaru looked down at the table, smiling a sad smile.

"Well, sir, you... you have my father to thank for that."

Oji snapped to attention, looking at the boy.

"... You never mentioned that you remembered anything about him, Mikaru."

Mikaru looked up at his Oji, wearing the same sad smile.

"... Well, I haven't mentioned him at all, if I recall. He was an alcoholic, and he killed my family."

Oji looked down at the table, frowning deeply and feeling sad for the boy he knew so much about.

"I can... I can see why it would be a sensitive topic for you, then. I'm... I'm sorry, Mikaru."

Mikaru's smile widened then, and he reached his free arm across the table. It took him a second, but Oji grabbed it, smiling a little at the gesture.

"It's... it was. It's not anymore, though. I've learned that sometimes, family is more than who you have blood ties with. It's more than a few names on a piece of paper, too."

Oji looked up at the boy, beaming.

"You've... you've learned a lot, haven't you? You're not the same little boy that walked into my house all those years ago. You're... you're a man, now. Your mother would be proud of you."

Mikaru smiled a bit, looking down at the table. Hanako was happy to be a part of this special moment between the two family members, as it made her feel like she had a family as well.

"You'd... My mother would really like you, Hanako..."

Hanako snapped her eyes over to Mikaru, gasping a little.

"... When she sees you for the first time, she's going to give you a big smile, that... that makes you feel like 'you're home again', and that everything's going to be okay. She'll hug you tightly to her chest, and she'll stroke your hair, knowing how much she likes it. She loves hair, you know. She... she always wanted a little girl..."

Hanako smiled at Mikaru, leaning into him.

"You think – you think so? She... she sounds a lot like you, actually..."

He laughed at her words softly, Oji joining him in the laughter. After that, they ate in comfortable silence, laughing at the occasional blunder and enjoying each others' company. When their meal was finished, Atsuko brought the bill, which Mikaru happily took. After that, they stepped outside, smiling at each other.

"Mikaru? Thank you, for... for coming back. I know how... how hard it must have been for you."

Mikaru smiled at his Oji, giving him a warm hug.

"It's no problem, Oji. I'm not... I'm not mad at you. I never was."

They separated, his Oji gripping his shoulders and smiling proudly at the boy. After that, he stepped to the side a bit, extending his arms out to Hanako. Hanako stepped up to him shyly, hugging the old man.

"Thank you, Ikezawa Hanako, for taking care of Mikaru – Kun. I'm glad he found someone that makes him... that makes him happy..."

She pulled away, smiling brightly at the man for the first time. The smile was one that Oji wasn't expecting, and it took his breath away.

"Mikaru is... Mikaru is special to me. It's... it's my pleasure, O – Oji..."

Hanako stepped away from Oji, clutching Mikaru's arm happily. Before they parted, however, Oji stepped up to Mikaru, slipping an envelope into his pocket.

"Your mother... your mother made me promise that, 'If I saw that boy before she does, that I would give him that damned envelope or there would be hell to pay!'. You don't have to read it yet, but... When you do your concert, she should be there. You can use the return address to forward an invitation. I won't... I won't say anything..."

Mikaru smiled at his Oji, nodding.

"O – okay, Oji... Th – thank you..."

They smiled at each other, Oji turning and walking away with his hands in his pockets as a cab pulled up, letting Mikaru and Hanako in.

"Can you please take us to Yamaku Academy, in the mountains? I'll pay extra..."

The driver looked back in his rear - view Mirror, nodding at the boy.

"... Yamaku again? I just did a fare there. Two girls, cute – looking, lots of energy. You know em?"

The cab driver pulled away, watching the road as Mikaru chuckled.

"Ah, yes, actually. I was wondering if they got back ok..."

The driver chuckled himself, shaking his head.

"I think they got back a little better than okay. _I was driving them_, and it almost looked like they were kissing as I drove away..."

Hanako snapped her eyes toward the cab driver, shocked at the news. Mikaru just chuckled merrily, pumping his arm in excitement.

"- _I knew it! I just KNEW Carla was getting laid...!_"

The three people laughed loudly, the cab driver deciding that _this night was the funniest night of his career. _

* * *

><p>Earlier, when Carla and Mikki had gotten back, they had immediately started kissing each other in front of the gate, their excitement getting the better of them. After they kissed for five minutes, Mikki tore herself away, grabbing Carla by the wrist and jogging over to the gate. She opened it with her stump, throwing it open and sprinting through the opening, dragging Carla behind her giggling. Sure, it was a school night, and sure, people were trying to sleep, but none of that mattered to the girls. Running up to the dormitories, they slowed to a leisurely walk, about two feet apart from each other. When they got into the elevator however, all leisure was abandoned, as the girls instantly started kissing again. After they heard the ding when it was their floor, they jumped apart, stepping out of the elevator and making their way quietly down the hallway. When they reached Mikki's room she paused, a question burning in her eyes.<p>

_Are we gonna do this?_

Carla looked both ways in the hallway before stepping up to Mikki, kissing her soundly. Mikki nodded into the kiss, shoving her away and spinning around, her hand fumbling to find the right key before she spun it violently in the lock, forcing it open and throwing Carla in before turning back, removing her key and re - locking the door before closing it. She had barely turned around when Carla jumped her, her hands roaming across Mikki's torso as she kissed her. Mikki's hand went to the back of her head as they kissed, tucking it into her shoulder when Carla's lips started working their way down her jaw, and under her neck...

Carla's hands moved upwards, finding the first button of Mikki's blouse before popping it open, working her way down. As she did this, Carla's lips would kiss whatever new skin was revealed to her, making Mikki flush. _She had never done anything like THIS before... _

When Mikki's top hit the ground, Carla stepped back, admiring the girl's tight, athletic figure. Her eyes sparkled in the low light of the room, and Mikki just crossed her arms under her bust, shifting from side to side while biting her lip. Carla grinned at the girl, slowly raising her hands to the bottom of her shirt before pulling upwards, freeing herself of the cotton. Mikki started following her as she stepped backwards into the room, using her body's position to steer Carla away from anything she could trip on. Carla's eyes never left hers, and as her calves connected with the bed frame, Mikki stepped up to the trapped girl, using her bandaged stub to press her down as she lifted herself over her, laying her back on the bed. Mikki was lying on top of Carla now, kissing her shoulders as she spoke.

"I would have... cleaned a little... if I knew... I was having... _company..._"

Carla gasped as she felt Mikki kissing down her torso, shaking her head.

"It's... fine... I'm... messy... too..."

She was panting a little as Mikki reached the girl's jeans, and gasped again as Mikki used her teeth and hand to undo her button, opting to stick with her teeth to undo the zipper. Carla looked down with heavy eyes as Mikki glanced up at her, smiling that predatory, wolfish smile again as she used her hand to slowly work down Carla's jeans.

"You know, I've always had a thing for you, Carla..."

Carla gasped, pushing herself up onto her elbows.

"Really?"

Mikki nodded, biting her bottom lip and laughing a bit. Because she was only using one hand, and Carla's jeans were so tight, it was giving her time to talk a little, to keep up the excitement.

"Ever since I saw you that third day of Music class. You were playing the piano, and I couldn't... I couldn't help but imagine your fingers..."

She slid the jeans off of her, sliding her hand down to her skirt, tugging it off as she spoke.

"... _working me like you worked that keyboard._"

Carla tugged the girl on top of her, rolling over and straddling her. She held Mikki's arms in place at the side of her, looking down at Mikki as she struggled a bit, looking up at her with excitement.

"I will, but... _you gotta promise me something, first..._"

Mikki nodded her head, breathing heavily as Carla leaned down slowly, stopping when her lips were just a hair away from Mikki's lips.

"... _I don't see you with any of those boys anymore. I don't see you with any other girls. You gotta promise to be mine, Mikki._"

Mikki nodded again, bringing her lips up to Carla's. The rest of their night was a blur of passion, laughter and discovery.

* * *

><p>Mikaru and Hanako parted ways at the dorms with a kiss, Mikaru heading inside and straight up to his room. He reached Hisao's room, taking a deep breath before giving two, sharp, quick knocks. Five seconds later, a <em>very restful <em>Hisao opened the door, smiling at his friend.

"Hey! You're back. What's up? I got that meditation down while you were out."

Mikaru smiled a bit before he extended the envelope to his friend. Hisao looked at it, turning it over in his hand before quickly turning it back the way it was, pulling his key out and opening the envelope carefully. When he finished, he placed it in Mikaru's pocket, nodding at his friend, and closing the door without a sound.

Mikaru turned away, walking over to his room and opening the door, locking it behind him. He turned a lamp in the corner on, setting it to dim. He pulled the envelope out, placing it on the desk, and sat down silently. After staring at the name on the front for an hour, he took a deep breath, flipping it upside – down and squeezing the sides, working the note out within. Examining it, he noted that there was a coffee stain in the top left corner, as well as a bit of visible smudging of the pen._ Oji must have read it before putting the latest address on the envelope and sealing it up..._ The paper the note was written on was a little wrinkled, feeling thin with age. He opened it slowly, examining it closer before he started reading. The letter was written in English, and the penmanship was impeccably neat, with a certain quality to it that made it undeniably hers.

_My Dearest Mikaru, _

_If you are receiving this letter, then I wish you didn't need to. I didn't want to have to say these things to you like this, but I know that they have to be said. _

_I miss you. I miss you so, so much. My heart aches with longing whenever I think about you. I miss your kind, smiling eyes as you played a song for me, or the way you would hold my hand when we walked down the street, no matter who was looking. I miss the way you would giggle when you did something bad, and I especially miss the way you would always do your best to make it up to me, even if it was something silly like missing the bus, or knocking over a glass. _

_... I mourn for you, as well. I'm so, so sorry that I said those things to you. I'm so sorry that you had to experience what you did because of my foolishness. Most of all, though, I'm unbelievably sorry for not being able to face you after what I did. When I saw you, after what those men did to you, I was... I was ashamed of myself, and I couldn't bring myself to watch as your life crumbled apart. I realized too late, though, that it was a horrible mistake, and now... now I can't see you. _

_I remain hopeful for you, though. I hope for your future, that one day you'll be able to recapture your passion for life and that wonder, that makes you such a beautiful son to me. I hope that you can find happiness like I never could; the kind of happiness that is for you and you alone, and not for someone else. Most of all, though, I hope... I beg you to forgive me, and come home again someday. _

_I love you, Mikaru. I love you more than anything else in this world; more than any words or music could ever express. I think about you every day, and I will never, ever stop... I never told you this, because you were always too young when I knew you, but... you saved my life that day, all those years ago. Just as you were living for my happiness... I was living for yours, too. I loved to see you smile, because it made me feel like the whole world was going to be okay, and there was nothing that could hurt us. You helped me get over the pain of being unfruitful, and the pain of losing everything I had for it. I... I learned that smile from you, Mikaru. _

_Please, please, come home to me. At least once more. I just... I love you, and all I want to do is just hold you again, even if I don't deserve it. _

_With Endless Love, _

_Souta Tsukiko._

Mikaru sat back in his chair, tears streaming from his eyes. _His mother loved him. She wasn't ashamed of him. She wanted him back. _It was too much, and he hung his head in his arms and wept. _He had _to see his mother again. _She needed _to know that he loved her just as much as she did him.

... He didn't sleep that night.

* * *

><p>The next day, Mikaru looked up at the door as two small knocks could be heard. He walked over to the door, unlocking it before stepping back, sitting on his couch with his head in his arms. Hanako stepped in, looking around until she saw his hunched figure. She ran to him, sitting beside him and cradling his head against her chest, stroking his short hair as she did. His arms came around her waist, and he wept into her, his body shaking with the force of his tears.<p>

"Mikaru? What – what's the matter? Are you ok?"

He hugged her a little harder, his crying intensifying as he spoke.

"_She – She s – still... loves... me..._"

Hanako pressed his head further into her chest, holding him as he cried. After a while, his tears dried up, and he pulled Hanako unto his lap, hugging her.

"Hanako, I – I'm sorry for not... for not coming out today, and – and worrying you..."

She smiled, shaking her head.

"... It's okay, Mikaru. It's okay. You – you don't have anything to be a – ashamed about..."

He hugged her tighter to him, using his arm to wipe his eyes.

"You... You're right, Hanako. For – for the first time in years, I... I don't have anything to be ashamed about. I... I love you, Hanako. Thank you."

She smiled, lifting his head and kissing him softly.

"I love you too... Mikaru..."

They sat like that, holding each other for the rest of the evening.

* * *

><p>End of Chapter Twenty – Six: Behind These Bars, a Night on the Town!<p>

Next Time! Chapter Twenty – Seven: Behind These Bars, Mr. And Mrs. Osamuki!


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter Twenty – Seven: Behind These Bars, Mr. And Mrs. Osamuki!**

* * *

><p>Hisao stood in Mikaru's room, looking over the boy and his work critically.<p>

"So? What do you think, Hisao?"

Hisao took one more serious look up and down, smiling at his friend.

"I think I do good work, is what I think."

Hisao was right, of course, but most of the work was done by Mr. Souta. The tuxedo was a shiny black, with the slightest of striped patterns created by matting the colour. The sleeves were tailored short, and were made to be worn scrunched up and bound by the elbows to maximize Mikaru's comfort, appearance and practicality. He wore a purple tie, on request, because it was Hanako's favourite colour. The jacket came sown just past his pockets, ending below his buttocks. He wore meticulously shined black leather shoes, and his hair already looked good because it was short. The seams of the fabric were placed just so to compliment and stress his impressive physique, and the tailoring was flawless. Overall, Mikaru cut an impressive figure, and Hisao knew that he would turn heads.

Mikaru laughed, patting his friend on the shoulder.

"Thanks for helping me, Hisao. I like suits, I really do, but _dammit, _there are _so many buttons..._"

Hisao laughed right back, ushering him out of his room.

"Go on, now! You need to go see Hanako. She's going to _eat you up!_"

Mikaru laughed, walking out of the room. Hisao was still pushing him along when they reached the elevator, surprised to see Carla and Mikki waiting in it for them. When they saw Mikaru, they both let out a squeal, checking him out with massive grins on their faces. Mikki was the first to speak.

"_Damn, _Mikaru! You clean up _good!_"

Carla giggled behind her hand, nodding and laughing with a glint in her eye.

"Do you think Hanako would be willing to share with us for a night?"

They all laughed at that, Carla extending an envelope to him.

"Oh, I almost forgot, Mikaru. You had me recording this, since you were busy."

Mikaru looked between the girls, smiling before he opened his jacket, letting her slide it into a pocket that was resting by his chest.

"Thanks, Carla. Can't go to a wedding without a gift, right?"

They smiled a little, noticing that the elevator had reached their floor. They stepped out and walked down the concrete path, heading towards the gate.

Sitting on a bench, swinging her legs a little, was Hanako, taking Mikaru's breath away. Hanako looked over at the approaching group, smiling shyly as she stood up.

She was _beautiful. _Her dress was a gorgeous Lilac colour, and had a matte finish with a slightly rough texture and swirling pattern, almost like flowers. It was strapless, and it hugged her figure, splaying out at the hip and coming down to about her mid – calf. There were soft, non – patterned sleeves coming off the side of the dress and down her arms, ending just past her hands in a point, but her shoulders were exposed. Wrapped around her shoulders a few times was a deep purple shawl, which served to cover her shoulders but also let you see through them to the basic shape behind it. She was wearing a pair of subtle platform heels, to give her a bit of extra height but also offer a bit of stability. To finish the look, a cute purple hat with a matching feather sticking out of the front, was resting slightly tilted on her head.

"H – Hello, M – Mikaru... How do I – How do I look?"

He left the others behind him, stepping up slowly to Hanako, his jaw dropping. When he reached her, he looked her up and down, a glint in his eye that she'd only seen once before.

"... _you look amazing, Hanako... My God..._"

She smiled widely at him, reaching her hands out and brushing them against his torso. She looked him up and down now, blushing and smiling. Her eyes were twinkling.

"You... you too, Mikaru..."

Mikaru kept looking at her until a honk from the gate pulled their attention away from each other. Mikaru walked up to her, extending his arm to her.

"... Care to join me, Miss Ikezawa?"

She smiled, wrapping her arms around his as they walked towards the car waiting at the gate. Hisao, Mikki and Carla stood there for a moment, watching them as Mikaru got him and Hanako seated, before they turned away, smiling and laughing to themselves.

"He looked flabbergasted!"

Hisao laughed a bit, catching his breath. Mikki noticed this, and giggled, punching him on the arm.

"- You too? Jeez Hisao, you've got Lilly! Let Mikaru have this!"

Hisao looked at her, laughing a bit.

"Hey, I was just appreciating the view. Nothing wrong with that! And besides, I bet you two were having a _field day _getting her dressed..."

Mikki blushed a bit, while Carla giggled, nodding.

"It's true, Hisao. We're all guilty here. Come on, let's go tell Lilly what happened!"

* * *

><p>They arrived at the temple a short while later, stepping out and admiring the venue with awe. There were mountains all around them, and this place was completely isolated from everything, despite being a short car ride from the town. All around them, the sounds of music, laughter, and nature were prevalent, making them gasp a bit. Hanako looked at Mikaru, who walked up to her and offered his arm to her.<p>

"Well, Miss Ikezawa... Ready to mingle with the masses?"

She smiled a bit before nodding, wrapping her arm around his with a blush. They walked side by side up the stairs, being greeted by a man at the door.

"... You must be Souta, the composer. Please, come in!"

He nodded, smiling and leading Hanako into the building. There was a pair of sliding doors on the left side of the room, as well as a few sitting areas strewn about. Walking through the room and stepping outside again, they were greeted by a beautiful display of translucent fabric, strewn at roughly a 45 degree angle on each side, casting a subtle red tint over the whole area. People were seated all over, talking and laughing to themselves, and a happy man who looked like a younger version of the groom walked up to them, smiling.

"Ah! You came! It's good to finally meet you. I'm Osamuki Junjirou, the groom's younger brother. You must be Souta Mikaru and Ikezawa Hanako, correct?"

Mikaru nodded, extending his arm.

"It's all my pleasure, Junjirou – Sama. I'm happy to be here on this auspicious day, as well as make your acquaintance."

Mikaru spoke in a pleasant, formal tone, prompting the man to shake his arm back. The man, much to his surprise, didn't hesitate or flinch at the gesture, instead happily shaking back, patting him on the shoulder.

"Please, Mr. Souta, you and Miss Ikezawa are our honoured guests! It's just Junjirou to you!"

Mikaru smiled, loosening up a little.

"Alright, Junjirou. Now, I'm afraid that, while I know we _have _seats, I am unsure as to _where_..."

Junjirou smiled, gesturing behind him.

"Right this way, you two! The ceremony will start soon!"

They took their seats, side by side as the room quieted down others got seated, and the groom came out, smiling at Mikaru and Hanako before turning to the door. The band's pianist started playing a soft, jazzy rendition of The Bridal Chorus, and the bride came through the door, accompanied by an old man who held himself tall and proud. There was a small amount of applause at her entrance, and Mikaru smiled at her. She had her eyes to the front, observing her fiancee from behind her veil. As the chorus ended, she was standing before him on the podium, watching him stare at her. His back was turned to Mikaru, so he couldn't see her face, but he felt Hanako's grip on his arm tighten. He looked over to her, smiling. She looked at him intensely, and he found himself blushing a bit. She did too, but didn't take her eyes from him. In the background, they heard the opening speech given my the Master of Ceremonies, and they turned their heads to the front as he opened a bible.

"The following is a passage from the Holy Christian Bible, known as 1st Corinthians, Passage 13:

If I speak in the languages of men or angels, but do not have love, I am but a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and knowledge, and if I possess faith capable of moving mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. Even if I give up everything I own, and consign myself to the fires; If I do not have love, _I gain nothing. _What is love? Love is _patient_. Love is _kind_. It does not envy or boast, and is not consumed by pride. It does not dishonour others, serve it's self first, anger quickly or keep a record of right and wrong. Love does not delight with evil; it rejoices with the truth. It always protects. It always trusts. It always hopes. It always perseveres. Love is infallible, but where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues they will be stilled and where there is knowledge, it will pass away. It is said that we know in part and prophecy in part, but when completeness comes, what is_ in part_ will disappear. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child and I reasoned like a child; When I became a man, I put the ways of my childhood behind me. Now, because of love, I am made complete; where I used to see a reflection of myself, I now look face to face. Now that I know in part, because of love, I will know fully, even as I am fully known. With that, three things remain: Faith, Hope and Love. Of all of them, the greatest is Love."

Mikaru had read the passage as a child, but the words being spoken today took on a whole new meaning. The Master of Ceremonies had paraphrased slightly, and it was enough for the words to stick in his mind. Hanako was staring at the master of ceremonies, mystified, and Mikaru was looking down at her, equally mystified.

"I would ask now for you to join me in a prayer, to ruminate on the nature of love, and what it means to you. Please, bow your heads."

Everyone did, although prayer was not necessary for most. Mikaru had put his stubs together in his lap, closing his eyes.

"... We are gathered here today to celebrate and commemorate the love shared between these two people, as well as the love we all share for each other. Now, more than ever before, we need this love. Love is the thing that makes us good people, and celebrating it in kind is also good. This is a happy occasion, and I humbly ask that it may be blessed by the powers that be, so the love that we all share with each other can continue to grow and flourish. May we live long, honourable lives, and find success and happiness in our next ones."

As the words ended, everyone lifted their heads, and the Master of Ceremonies spoke once more.

"Marriage is a very sacred thing. It was said that two people entering into matrimony are becoming one, singular flesh. One person, two parts. Today, the bride and groom will demonstrate their will to do so by sharing vows with each other, with us and with the powers that be. These words are not said out of necessity; they are shared in love, and are thus born from it. Therefore, let us listen and rejoice in their vows, so that they may help us all become as one flesh, one people under the world."

The couple turned to each other, and Hanako rested her head on Mikaru's arm as they listened. Mr. Osamuki spoke first.

"... When I met you that first time, in the parking lot of the university, I knew that you were something special. When you proved it to me, time and time again over the proceeding years, I knew that I had to show you just how special you were to me. Today, I finally can, with these words. I vow to hold your trust in my hands, cradle your passion in my heart and weather your temper with respect. I vow to always be there for you, be it a walk in the park or a slide into oblivion. I vow to live fully and truly by you, with no regrets or reservations. I vow to try every day that I live to become the man you need me to be, and a couple days afterwards too. Finally, I vow to love you, with everything I am and then some, for the rest of my days, with no caveats."

The veranda was silent at his words, and it remained so when the bride's voice rang out, strong and true.

"... I remember the day I first saw you, all those years ago. Then, we were strangers in a strange land, doing strange things and seeing strange sights. I remember when you walked up to me, and did what no one else could; you offered me your hand. When I took it, I knew that this day would come. The day when finally, I could offer you mine back. I vow to strive everyday to be the kind of woman that's worthy of your love. I vow to always be there for you, to help you up when you fall or become your shield when you're in danger. I vow to smile with you, and cry with you, whenever you need it, no exceptions. I vow to share myself with you, and keep my heart and mind open to you, at all times of the day and night, until time stops moving. Finally, I vow to love you, truly and wholly, and be faithful to you, forever and ever."

As the woman's words finished, a gilded cross was presented in the Master of Ceremony's hand, which had two golden rings on either side. The two each took a ring, and looked to the minister, who gave them a nod. They turned back to each other, and they fit the rings onto each others' fingers. The man lifted the veil to reveal the bride's teary face, smiling at him and only him. The Minister of Ceremonies then presented them with the _san – san – ku – do_, watching them as they drank, and took it from them. After a moment, he spoke, saying those five magic words, and the two leaned towards each other.

Hanako gasped, as the couple shared a kiss that was so tender, so passionate and sincere, that it made her cry at the beauty of the moment. The crowd rose to their feet, applauding and cheering. Mikaru, who had no hands, cheered the loudest, holding Hanako as she clapped happily for the couple.

"I present to you now Mr. And Mrs. Osamuki. Let what we have done here today be preserved forever. Go in peace now, and celebrate this most auspicious of days."

They stepped down for the podium, hand in hand, and the crowd of wedding – goers approached the couple, offering congratulations and encouragement. As they did, the staff went about, moving the chairs on the veranda and transforming it into an open space. After a short time, the band started playing, and the bride and groom shared their first dance.

As they did, Hanako looked up at Mikaru, who was watching them with a look of mystery and wonder. She nudged him a little, capturing his gaze. He looked down, smiling at Hanako. They got lost in each others' eyes, until the music stopped and the wedding crowd cheered again. As the next song started, Hanako wrapped her arms around his neck, he placing his arms on her hips, and they danced. It was a slow Jazz piece, and it did well for setting the mood. All over, couples were holding each other. Hanako spoke to him.

"This... this is a good song..."

Mikaru smiled at her tenderly, speaking softly.

"... It's a jazz ballad, called 'Misty'. I used to play this on the saxophone. It's my forth favourite song, actually."

She giggled, resting her head on his chest. Because of her shoes, she was able to look over his shoulder as she did.

"I... this is really nice, Mikaru... Thank you, for bringing me here, and... and loving me enough to dance with me like this."

It was his turn to chuckle, resting his forehead on hers.

"Nonsense, Miss Ikezawa. I would dance with you whether or not I loved you. Me loving you just makes it that much better."

She blushed at his words, staring at him with wonder. He stared right back, swaying with her as they danced through the song. When it finished, there was more applause, and it took them a second to find out why. As their dancing had started, the bride and groom had cleared a circle for them, making the crowd watch. Hanako was blushing, but the smiles made her comfortable at the same time.

The crowd tightened around them then as a more lively piece was played. Hanako smiled up at him, holding him a little tighter as he led her in a dance that took her breath away. Mikaru was strong, so wherever there were throws, he wouldn't hesitate. The two things she found most amazing about it was that firstly, she never got hurt coming down. More amazing than that was the fact that her hat stayed in place, as did the rest of her clothing for that matter.

The afternoon carried on like this for an hour, just laughing, singing and dancing merrily, before Mr. Osamuki stepped up onto the podium, gathering the attention of the crowd.

"Can I please have your attention for a moment? Hey everyone, Thank you for attending our wedding today. It's the most important day of our life, and each and every one of you are the people that we care about the most. All of you have done something special for us in one way or another, but I'd like to invite one particularly special couple onto the stage. Please give a warm hand to Souta Mikaru and Ikezawa Hanako!"

The crowd cheered, and Mikaru walked up with Hanako in tow. When they got onto the stage, Mrs. Osamuki followed behind them, joining her husband on the stage. Mikaru waved at them, and Hanako clung to him a bit at the attention, but didn't run.

"Some of you know this already, but my wife was in a bit of trouble a while ago, and this young man here put his life on the line to save her. However, there's one _other _thing he did for us, as well."

Mikaru turned to the man, raising his brow in surprise.

"... Me and my wife met after your first concert, in Canada all those years ago. If it weren't for you, we wouldn't even be here today. Thank you, for playing such a large role in our lives, and giving us the gift of happiness."

Mikaru smiled, blushing a bit. He had _no idea _he had done so much for these people, but he was happy that he could.

"... And with that, I'd like to close off the proceedings here, and head out to the restaurant."

He walked up to them, holding them back while the others started heading out. Mrs. Osamuki spoke then, making Mikaru smile.

"I'd like to privately thank you for reconsidering, Mikaru. It means a lot to us that you came today, and we're glad that Hanako was able to make you so happy. So thank you too, Hanako."

Mikaru blushed, nodding, and Hanako smiled giving a bow.

"It – It's n – nothing, Mrs. O – Osamuki... Mikaru? What about..."

He watched as Hanako reached into his pocket, pulling out the envelope and presenting it to the couple. Mikaru chuckled then, speaking.

"Oh! Thanks, Hanako. This is my wedding gift to you, Mr. And Mrs. Osamuki. It's a CD I made up. It's mostly synthesized right now, but that's actually part of my latest work; the first I've done in six years. Also, when I get more solid plans established, I would like to formally invite you to attend my concert. I would pay for transport and accommodations, of course."

The two looked between each other, examining the CD in their hands. _There was only one of these. The first recording of Souta Mikaru in six years... _

"This is – this is _priceless_. My god. How much do you have written so far?"

Mikaru smiled, looking back and forth conspiratorially.

"It's about half. That disk contains 45 minutes of music."

They looked down at the disk, looking up excitedly.

"This is amazing. Thank you so much! Also, we would like to accept your invitation. It's not just anyone who gets to live the high life!"

They all laughed, heading out to the vehicles. When they sat down, Hanako looked up at Mikaru smiling.

"Hey, Mikaru?"

He turned his head down, looking at her happily.

"Yes, Hanako?"

"... Will I be able to come?"

He laughed, putting his arm around her.

"You? Of course, no matter what. In fact, I already have the guest list planned out. There will be more people, of course, but you and the other special guests will have the best seats in the house. Wherever that house may be."

* * *

><p>The restaurant was completely booked out when they arrived. They were ushered to their seats, and served amazing food. Now that the atmosphere was relaxed, he noticed just how many heads he and Hanako had turned. Hanako hadn't noticed, however, so he took that as a blessing. As the night wore on, Hanako and he had been offered countless drinks by the other patrons, and after an hour of this, they were ready to leave. Hanako was not drunk, thankfully, and Mikaru had an extremely high tolerance, so he was only buzzed. He flagged down a cab, telling him where they were going, and set to work on stroking his stubs through Hanako's hair, making her hum with happiness.<p>

They got back an hour later, and Mikaru gave the driver a large tip for his trouble. After that, they headed towards the dorms, Hanako hanging off of his arm giggling. When they reached the dorms, and it was time to part ways, however, Hanako would not leave. So, instead of arguing with her, he took her back up to his dorm, sneaking her in while she tried her hardest to be quiet. When the door was closed and locked, Mikaru turned around, only to be squashed against the door by Hanako. She reached onto his shoulders and started kissing him deeply, which he returned at first. After a while, however, Mikaru became uncomfortable. He pulled her onto the couch and held her shoulders, dazing her a bit.

"Hanako."

She smiled at him, dragging him over to the couch where she sat him down, snuggling into him.

"... That was amazing, Mikaru..."

He smiled, holding her close to him. He was starting to sober off from his drinking, and when his thoughts cleared he was happy to remember most of it.

"Yeah. It... it was, Hanako."

She sat on his lap, her legs going off to the side on the couch, and hung her arms around his neck.

"Do you think... do you think that we'll ever be – be able to do that k – kind of thing a – again?"

He nodded, smiling widely at her.

"Definitely. It was the best evening of my life, Hanako. I got to share that with you. I'd pay anything to have that kind of experience again."

She beamed at his words, leaning in to kiss him. He accepted her kiss, his arms coming to rest on her lap and his thigh, tucked against her rear. She moaned at the sensation, him taking it as an invitation to deepen the kiss. When he did, her arms tightened around his neck, and she started breathing through her nose heavily. He did too, rubbing his arm up and down her thigh. After a while, she parted the kiss, her head hanging low against his. Her eyes were deep and intense, clouded over with her excitement.

"Can I... can I s – stay with you t – tonight, Mikaru – Kun?"

Her shoulders were moving up and down with each heavy breath she took. Her hands were crossed behind his head, going limp, and his arms were still resting where they were from their kiss. He took a second to think about it, before nodding slightly, his head tilting to the side as he leaned in to kiss the girl again.

... That night was spent learning, loving, and sharing, as the two lovers danced the timeless dance, eventually falling into a deep sleep.

* * *

><p>Hanako awoke, for the first time, wrapped in the arms of her love. As her thoughts went over the events of the past day and following night, she couldn't help but smile happily to herself. <em>Mikaru...<em>

She brought her hands up his back, remembering how she had kissed every single scar on his body. Then, they slid in between them, coming to rest on his peacefully sleeping face. She slid up his body, kissing his jaw. She smiled widely to him as his arms tightened around her, his eyes opening slowly and incompletely. His voice was rough, but he looked the most comfortable that she had ever seen him, and it made her happy beyond words.

"Hanako... good... good morning."

She kissed him lightly, pulling away and smiling at him again.

"Good morning, Mikaru..."

He smiled at the sheer comfort in her voice, pulling his one arm away and lying on his back. Hanako nestled up beside him, enjoying the warmth that his body was exuding. They weren't in any hurry to get up, because school was out this week thanks to a special event in the town. As they laid like that, Hanako couldn't keep her smile off of her face, and neither could Mikaru.

"Hanako? how are you holding up? Last night was..."

She blushed, speaking a little shyly again.

"I – I feel a... a little s – sore, b – but... I – I really... really enjoyed l – last night..."

He looked down, seeing her blush before she hid her face below his chest. He gave a little chuckle, holding her a little tighter.

"I... I'm glad, Hanako. I... I really enjoyed that, too..."

After a while of soaking up each others' love and warmth, Mikaru sat up, bring Hanako with her. It was 10:30, and the light painted a beautiful picture in the room. More than that, though, Mikaru couldn't help but stare at Hanako. Hanako, for once, didn't try to hide herself.

Hanako was sitting, the covers bunched around her torso, completely naked. Her left arm was holding her upright, and her right was coming over her stomach, her hand holding her elbow. Her hair was hanging neat and straight like it always did, not a single hair out of place. Her face was calm, and her eyes were examining Mikaru's exposed torso, dancing across the muscled and scarred expanse of flesh.

"... Hanako."

She looked at him, her eyes opening a little.

"... You're really beautiful, you know that? I... thank you, for... for sharing yourself with me. It... it makes me happy that you trust me like this."

Her face lit up in a smile, and she slid herself next to him, her right hand coming onto his abdomen, slowly grazing across it in a tender motion.

"You're welcome, Mikaru. I... Thank you, for doing the same, as well as... as well as for loving me. I... I haven't been this happy before."

He sat up straight, resting his arms before him. After a moment of looking into her eyes, however, he paled a bit, raising his arms to his head.

"Oh shit. Hanako, how are we – how are we going to cover this up? You don't have a change of clothing here. That, and there's _no way _you could shower in the boys dorm without raising heads."

She paled, pulling into herself a little.

"... Oh. W – well, we could call – call Carla, or... or Hisao..."

Mikaru looked down, thinking.

"... Wait. The shower isn't a problem, really. Kenji is gone, and that only leaves Hisao on this floor. The attendants only come by at night, so they won't know you're here. Carla can bring us some clothes for you, and Hisao could bring us some food, because he's probably going through the same thing with Lilly right now, and would love mostly free food. I have loads of towels, and I think you could go a day smelling like my shower gel. I'm sure going to miss the Lavender, though..."

She smiled a relieved and happy smile, holding his arm.

"You... you noticed?"

He smiled, blushing a little.

"Y – yeah. Since... since the first time I... I held you, on the roof. I... I really like lavender."

Her smile widened, and she reached her right hand up, stroking his jaw.

"I... I don't know what... what scent it is, but... I like your s – shower gel, too..."

He smiled at that, leaning into her and planting a soft kiss on her lips, leaving her breathless. After that, he slid across the bed, getting out from under the covers and standing up. She watched him as he stretched, appreciating his figure as he strode across the room to gather his shower things up, grabbing his phone as he did so. He placed it on the table, using Siri to call Hisao. It rung twice before the boy picked up, obviously sounding a little tired.

"_... Nakai Hisao."_

"Hey, Hisao, it's Mikaru."

Hisao sounded groggy, but he still managed a chuckle when he found out who was calling him.

"_Hey there, Mikaru. What's up? I didn't see you when you brought Hanako back to her dorm."_

Mikaru chuckled a bit at his friend, shooting back at him.

"No? That's funny; I didn't see you when I stopped by your room at 01:00, either."

Hisao paused, and he heard a gasp in the background.

"_... Oh. I see now. Congrats on finally becoming a man, Mikaru. Hey there, Hanako. So, why exactly are you calling me, man? It's like..."_

Hisao paused again, sighing after a few seconds.

"_... Well, it's not all that early, actually. You sleep in too?"_

"Yeah, Hisao. I just figured that you might want some free food, but I can give it to someone else, if you'd prefer."

Hisao sighed heavily. The sound of rustling sheets could be heard, and after a yawn, Hisao spoke again.

"_... Damn you, Mikaru. Ok, I'm up. It's on you, then? I'll be over in a little bit to pick up the money. Should I grab anything while I'm here?"_

Mikaru paused for a second, thinking.

"Depends. How stealthy are you, on a scale of 'Godzilla' to 'Solid Snake'?"

Hisao paused, before answering back seriously.

"_... I'd say about... a patient Adam Jenkins."_

Mikaru chuckled lightly, appreciating the banter.

"... that should do. Hanako needs clothes, a toothbrush, and her shampoo, all of which are in her dresser. Can you get it here undetected?"

Hisao chuckled a bit on the other end, Lilly talking to him a bit. He said something back to her, and she gasped, talking quickly. Hisao chuckled, and came back on the line.

"_... **I'm dancing on the wall**, Mikaru. They won't see a thing. Oh, Lilly is annoyed with you. 'I'm going to have a serious talk with that man', were her exact words. I'm out, Mikaru. See you."_

Hisao hung up. Mikaru wrapped the towel around his waist, turning back to Hanako. She was burying her face in the covers. It was cute, Mikaru decided.

"Alright, Hanako. I'm going to take a shower now. I will be back before Hisao is, so you don't have to answer the door if anyone comes knocking. Unless it's me. Then answer, please."

She giggled a bit, nodding her assent. With that, he stepped out of the room. When the door closed, Hanako looked around, suddenly feeling much more naked than she already did. Now that she wasn't distracted my Mikaru, she had time to think about things.

_Last night, I... I shared myself with him. He... He shared himself with me, too. I thought that... that he didn't notice my scars, when he told me... that I was beautiful, but... He did. He did, and he thought those were beautiful as well. He... he really loves all of me. Not just the part that I show to people, but... the parts I keep secret, too. I... I make him happy. I gave him his happiness back. I did. I don't... I don't ever want this to end. _

As she thought, the door opened, and Mikaru stepped in again, still damp from his shower.

"Hey, Hanako. I saw Hisao down on the concrete. He's going to be here in a few minutes. Help me get dressed?"

She looked up at him, nodding before shyly stepping out of bed, walking up behind him. He opened his dresser, finding a few things he liked, including a button – up plaid shirt and a pair of jeans, and a black belt. He finished drying himself before putting on his boxers, then sliding his jeans up his hips. He turned to Hanako then, looking her in the eyes. She blushed a little, reaching down and doing his jeans up before reaching behind him, grabbing the shirt. She noticed that the sleeves were already rolled up, and had a pair of tongues on each side, that buttoned to the sleeve to keep them in place. She helped him slide it onto his arms, then went to work on the buttons, speaking as she did.

"... Mikaru? Do you... do you think that... that will b – be _us_, some... someday?"

Mikaru looked down at her, considering for a moment before answering.

"Well, I... I don't really know, to be honest. I mean, if it did, that would be years from now, and... well, sometimes life has other plans, you know?"

She diligently focused on doing up the buttons, trying her hardest not to think of what those 'Other Plans' could be.

"That being said... I mean, uh, if I... If it could be anyone, I... I think I want it to... to be you."

She was on the last button when he finished his sentence. She felt a wide smile appear on her face, and she reached behind him again, grabbing the belt before working it around him.

"I think... I think I would l – like that, Mikaru... you're... you're my... my favourite... p – person..."

She fastened the belt, ruffling his clothing a bit before looking up at him. He had a calm smile on his face, and it plus the situation she found herself in made her blush. He chuckled a bit, walking past her to the bed. He scooped up the comforter, passing it to her.

"Hisao will probably have to poke his head in, so why don't you lie down on the couch? You can use this to cover yourself, in case he decides he needs to investigate. Hell, you could even feign sleep. That would shut him up pretty quick."

She giggled a bit, blushing at the prospect of Hisao finding her like this, before she wrapped herself up in the blanket, lying on the couch. She curled up a bit, smelling it discretely. With a mixture of pride, curiosity, and excitement, she noted that it smelled like _them_, mixed with something floral. As she did that, they heard Hisao's signature nine raps, and then the door inched open on it's own.

"Mikaru, Come grab this bag. Then, meet me outside by the concrete. Don't take long, please."

Mikaru walked over, grabbing a fairly large bag before he closed the door. He placed it on the coffee table in front of Hanako, before scooping up his wallet and heading to the door.

"Be back soon, Hanako. I'll cover you while you shower, if you'd like."

She nodded, turning back to her bag. With a bit of a struggle, Mikaru opened the door and locked it, before closing it behind him. He walked down the hallway, heading towards the stairs before he made his way down them, stepping through the lobby. He opened the doors, walking outside and feeling the sun on his face. As he looked around, he saw Hisao standing with Lilly, both fully dressed and waiting for him by a tree. He strode over to them, slowing his pace as he neared. He spoke then, more for Lilly's sake.

"Hey, guys. I'm at Hisao's 2 o'clock, about three and a half feet away."

Lilly turned to him, frowning a bit. Hisao looked at him with guilty eyes. Lilly spoke then, sounding a little annoyed.

"Good morning, Mikaru. I trust you slept well?"

Mikaru paused, considering her words and tone. This time, he wasn't so sure what the problem was, so he started using a blanket approach.

"I slept better than I have in years, thank you. Hanako slept well, too. She says hello."

Lilly frowned, putting her fists on her hips.

"Does she? I'm amazed she can even function right now. You too, for that matter."

Mikaru grinned at her. _She thinks we were drunk. _

"... Oh, you're worried about the after party, aren't you? Hanako had two. It takes me an obscene amount of wine to get buzzed thanks to my metabolism, so I was effectively sober by the time we got back."

Lilly paused at that, her hands coming to rest by her sides.

"... Oh."

Hisao laughed a bit. This was news to him, but it was good news, so he enjoyed it. He turned to Mikaru, feeling that the situation was effectively diffused, at least for now.

"All right, Mikaru. Stop messing with my girlfriend. Am I getting you food soon, or what?"

Mikaru chuckled, pulling his wallet out. He opened it, grabbing a 5000 and a 1000 yen note, and offering them to Hisao.

"Alright, alright, ya mooch. Here. Why don't you and Lilly come hang with us when you get back? I have something I want to talk to you all about."

Lilly interjected then, cutting Hisao off before he could speak.

"That sounds good, Mikaru. I have something I would like to discuss with you all as well."

Mikaru grunted in affirmation, turning to walk away.

"Okay, guys. Take your time, too. Don't rush on our account, okay? Remember Hisao: Bacon. I need Bacon."

Hisao chuckled, letting Lilly take his arm before waving at the retreating figure.

"I got this, Mikaru. See you in a while!"

* * *

><p>An hour later, the four teens gathered together in Mikaru's room, each of them drinking a box of juice and sitting in silence. They had just finished their food, and were savouring the moment together. Hanako was sitting on Mikaru's side, holding his arm, and Hisao was holding Lilly as she noisily sucked from the box. When it was empty, she straightened up, feeling out the coffee table before sitting on it, in front of her three friends.<p>

"I... I have something to tell you all..."

Hanako sat up, scooching to the middle of the couch. Hisao sat forward, his hands together in front of him and his arms on his knees. Mikaru was sitting straight, his arms resting idly on his lap. They all looked expectantly as Lilly spoke.

"I... I have been summoned back to Scotland. One of my family members has fallen gravely ill, and... and they want me there, if... if the worst happens."

Hisao froze, stiffening up at the news. His eyes were on the ground, wide. However, his breathing was oddly calm despite his obvious distress. That could be attributed to Mikaru's training, no doubt. Hanako gasped at the news, raising her hand to her face. Mikaru was passive, patiently waiting for Lilly to speak and finish her news.

"L – Lilly... are you... are you going to b – be okay? Will you – will you ever be – be _coming back_?"

Hanako was speaking from behind her hand, her body shaking a little. Because of Mikaru, the prospect of Lilly leaving for Scotland wasn't quite as bad as it could have been, but Lilly was her first friend, and losing her would be hard on her.

"I... I should only be gone... for a week or so... Hanako..."

Hisao seemed to relax a little, putting his hands on his face. Now though, his shoulders slumped.

"When do... when do you leave, Lilly?"

She turned her body in his direction, speaking to him now directly.

"I leave in... in a few days, Hisao. My sister is... she is bringing me with her on... on Friday."

Hisao turned his head up to her, looking angry. He didn't speak for a moment, though. Instead, he just took a deep breath, closing his eyes and clearing his mind before he spoke.

"It must... it must have been... difficult, knowing this and... and not sharing it with someone..."

Lilly frowned, slumping herself ashamedly, saying, "Hisao, I... I just... I didn't want to... to spoil our – our time together, with... with that...".

Hisao reached forward, squeezing her hand a little to stop her.

"No, Lilly. It's... it's fine. I just... maybe, next time, tell someone instead of trying to... trying to deal with it yourself, okay? If not... if not _me_, then at least Mikaru or Hanako..."

She looked crushed by his words, but nodded. Mikaru waited for a moment, waiting for the silence to show that they were done. When it did, he spoke.

"... I have a proposition, for all those interested. I... I am heading to Tokyo tomorrow, for the rest of the week. We would be back on... on Sunday. I was going to... to make the trip alone, but... I'm extending an invitation to you all. Lilly, I understand that you can't come. Hisao? Are you.. are you interested? Maybe you want to stay behind, and... and spend some more time with Lilly, before -"

"- No, Mikaru. I... I'd like to come. Lilly needs... Lilly needs time to pack, and I need time to think."

Lilly flinched at his words, but didn't say anything. Hanako spoke next.

"Is this... is this about your... your mother?"

He looked over to Hanako, not saying anything for a while. Eventually, he nodded slowly, speaking in a weak tone.

"It... It is, Hanako. I'm... I have to go see her, while I have a chance, as soon as... as soon as possible. Can you... can you come?"

Hanako nodded, not even needing a second to think about it.

"Y – Yes, Mikaru. I... I'll come with you."

Mikaru smiled, putting his arm into Hanako's lap. She took it, holding it in her hands.

"... So it's decided then. Hanako, Hisao and I are heading to Tokyo in the morning. Lilly is staying behind to pack, and we will see her in three weeks. Lilly, while I am in Tokyo, is there anything that you would like for me to pick you up?"

She smiled, shaking her head.

"N – No, I... I think I will be fine, thank you. I... I should... I should go, and... and start. Hanako, would you like to accompany me back to the dormitory?"

Hanako looked at Mikaru, who nodded at her. She released his arm, standing up and picking up her stuff before helping Lilly to her feet. Hisao was sitting on the couch, looking out the window silently. Lilly listened intently in his direction before silently walking out of the room, Hanako in tow. When the door closed, Mikaru stood up, stretching a bit before moving over to his dresser, setting aside clothing and outfits. He pulled out one sweater in particular, weighing it before tossing it at Hisao.

"Buck up, Hisao. This is only the end if you make it the end."

Hisao looked down at the sweater, speaking quietly into the air.

"But... but she didn't... she didn't trust me enough, to -"

"- does it sound like she didn't trust you, Hisao? I just think that Lilly was scared."

Hisao looked up at his friend, his eyes going a little wide.

"Scared? Of what?!"

"- _Of this,_ Hisao. She was crying when she left, you know. She thought that if she told you when she found out, that you and her wouldn't have worked out the way you did, and she would be left heartbroken nursing an unrequited love for you. As time went on, however, and she realized that now that she had you, telling you would make you react _exactly like this, _She couldn't decide whether it was better to tell you or just not tell you at all. Damned if you do, Damned if you don't."

Hisao stood up sharply, still holding the sweater in his hands. He took a couple breaths before he kicked the table, sitting back down sharply.

"Dammit! _I wouldn't have done something like that, though! _This isn't – _this isn't fair!_"

"And how was she supposed to know, Hisao? _She isn't_ perfect. She's a human being, just like the rest of us. She's _blind, _for god's sakes. She can't see these things like you and I can. She can't _see _the looks you give her. She couldn't _see _how you only paid attention to her when there were other girls around. Hell, she couldn't even see you when you two were _making love_! She's probably really insecure about all this. Really, Hisao, I shouldn't have to be the one telling you all this. Look, just... don't back down now, okay? Come with us. Take a few days, and think up the right words to say to her to _make her sure. _When you do, I'm sure that you can call her. Just don't despair about this, alright?"

Hisao looked at his friend. His back was still turned, gathering clothes to wear while he was out. Hisao was amazed at his friend's words. Really, he couldn't for the life of him figure out how he was so insightful about these things, and yet still managed to take as long as he did figuring out that Hanako had feelings for him. He sat down, sliding the sweater onto his shoulders and zipping it up. He didn't usually wear them, but he had to admit that he really liked the way it looked on him.

"... Yeah. I guess... I guess you're right, Mikaru. I'm, uh... I'll go start packing. Do you need me to make any phone calls for you while I'm at it? You look a little busy."

Mikaru chuckled, looking over at his friend for a second before turning back to his work.

"I have a phone now, you know. Go pack. For god's sakes, please remember that we'll be gone for a week, okay? If you need any more medicine, go talk to the nurse. He's still on call now, and he has your next set lined up for you."

Hisao chuckled, turning away.

"Yeah, Mikaru, you got it. I'll swing by later, okay?"

He left then, going over in his head just _what _Lilly needed to hear to make this better.

* * *

><p>End of Chapter Twenty – Seven: Behind These Bars, Mr. And Mrs. Osamuki!<p>

Next Time! Chapter Twenty – Eight: Behind These Bars, The Tokyo Connection: Part One!


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter Twenty – Eight: Behind These Bars, The Tokyo Connection: Part One!**

The morning air was frigid, being much too cold for the time of year they were in. Standing by the black gate were Mikaru, Hisao, and Hanako, all of whom were wearing a sweater, and had multiple bags with them. Mikaru was packed the heaviest, with Hisao packing the lightest. However, Hisao actually had a briefcase for his medications, which was probably the heaviest thing there. The thought made him sad, but he ignored it.

"Hey, guys, ready to go? Our shuttle will be here in a few minutes."

Hanako nodded, and Hisao looked over his things before speaking.

"Yeah, I think I -"

"- WAIT!"

Lilly was moving faster than she ever had on her own. She was tapping the ground furiously, her pace nearly a jog. She had a scuff of dirt on her blouse, and her face was red. Mikaru shouted at her.

"We're over here, Lilly. 14 Meters, 11 o'clock!"

She turned, feeling that she was on concrete. She slowed her pace, walking slowly now. Hisao was looking at her, shocked. She had tears in her eyes.

"Where's – Where is Hisao?"

Hisao walked up to her, touching her wrist with his right hand. When she felt him, she dropped her cane, stumbling into him. She threw her arms around his neck, tucking her face into his shoulder. Hisao returned her embrace, at a loss for words.

"Hisao, I – I'm sorry that I – I didn't tell you I was leaving. I just – I just -"

He raised his hand to the back of her head, nestling his fingers in her wavy hair. She stopped talking, tucking herself into him. After a few moments, she pulled away slightly, her hands coming to his face before she found his lips with her thumbs, kissing him deeply and desperately. He kissed her back, his hands holding her hips as he did. After the sound of a car could be heard behind them, she pulled away, resting her forehead against his.

"I know, Lilly. I'm sorry for making you feel like you couldn't talk to me. I'll be waiting for you when you get back, okay? I'll be the first person to see you back. I promise."

"R – Really? You mean that?"

Hisao nodded, kissing her on the cheek. She smiled a little at the gesture, wiping her eyes.

"I do. My ride's here, though, so I better head out now. Don't go falling in love while you're gone, Ne? I want my Lilly back."

She blushed, shaking her head. After a moment longer, he turned away, seeing that Mikaru had gotten most of his things already, and all that remained was his briefcase. He grabbed Lilly's hand, kissing her on her dainty fingertips before pulling away from her, picking up his suitcase and walking away.

* * *

><p>Two hours later, the Train pulled away from the Yamagata Shinkasen Station, carrying Hisao, Hanako and Mikaru towards Tokyo. Inside the train, There were columns of seats, each column containing three rows. So, Mikaru sat in the middle, while Hanako sat beside the window, leaving Hisao to sit on the inside. Hanako was wearing her usual outing attire, consisting of a pair of skinny jeans, a cute yet functional black hat, and a mildly patterned long – sleeve shirt, hidden under her black sweater. Mikaru had worn jeans and a plaid button – up again, thanks to Hisao helping him. Hisao himself wore a simple button – up shirt, which was a very subtle lavender colour, tucked into some slacks, as well as a black sweater of his own.<p>

"So, Hisao. You've ridden a bullet train before?"

Hisao looked over to his friend, nodding his head.

"- Yeah, a couple times actually. I have family in Kyoto. What about you?"

Mikaru smiled, shaking his head.

"I did twice, I believe, but that was before my incident. It's a little smaller than I remember it, actually."

Hisao chuckled at that, shaking his head and looking at his lap.

"Hah, that's because you weren't a _giant _then, Mikaru. Jeez, how'd you even fit into that seat?"

Mikaru shifted a little, grinning.

"... Well, like any big man fits into something too small. _With great difficulty._"

Hisao laughed at his joke. Hanako giggled a bit as well, although for different reasons.

"- Look, Mikaru..."

Mikaru turned his head, looking out into the distance through the window. He could see a few snow – capped mountains, and looking a little closer, he saw the ground and trees whipping by at a blinding speed. Fairly soon, though, he got distracted by Hanako.

Hanako was in her element, smiling fully at the sights she was taking in. Her hands were pressed against the window, and her legs were crossed at her feet. Her baggy sweater hid most of her features, but he couldn't help but feel grateful to whatever gods were real for creating her, and seeing it fit to bring them together.

She turned her head, looking excitedly at Mikaru.

"This is amazing! Isn't it, Mikaru?"

He smiled widely at his girlfriend, nodding his head.

"... It is, Hanako. Thank you, for coming with me..."

She smiled widely at him, nodding her head and sitting back. At that, Mikaru had an idea.

"- Hey, Hanako? What kind of music do you listen to?"

She turned to him, raising her eyebrow. Being pulled away from the scenery like that made her shrink a little, but she spoke clearly.

"Um... I... I listen to... whatever is on, at... at the time..."

He shook his head, smiling a little at her decidedly neutral answer. He dug into his pocket, pulling out his Iphone and passing it to her.

"Here. Why don't you find some songs you like? You can download them while we're in the cities over the network."

She looked at the phone, smiling a little. She turned her head up to him, nodding a bit before she started searching the store for music she liked. After a moment, however, she frowned, turning to Mikaru.

"Um... Mikaru... it's... English..."

"Huh? Oh, I see your problem. Here, do this..."

After a few minutes of navigating and only the slightest bit of fussing, she managed to switch the language to Japanese, now having no troubles using the device. She browsed for a few minutes before she found songs she liked, purchasing them and building a play list out of them, as well as a few songs that Mikaru had on it already. She sat back then, putting the headphones into her ears and pressing play. When the song came on, she jumped a bit, scrambling to turn it down. After she managed that, she paused it, looking over at Mikaru a little sorely.

"M – Mikaru... You shouldn't... you shouldn't listen to it so loud..."

He smiled at her, looking to see that the headphones were indeed out before speaking.

"Hah, ok Hanako. You're not bleeding out the ears, are you? That would be a horrible way to start what could be an excellent trip."

She blushed a little, shaking her head. However, she looked around a bit before she leaned up to him, kissing him on the jaw.

"F – For listening to me..."

He brought his stub up to his jaw, smiling. _I could stand to listen to her more often..._

Satisfied that that was over, she put the ear buds back in, listening to the music again. As she did, Mikaru smiled turning to Hisao.

"So, Hisao. I've been meaning to talk to you about something for a while, now."

Hisao looked up from his phone, raising a brow at Mikaru.

"... Oh?"

Mikaru leaned in, almost whispering to his friend.

"How did Saturday go? Did you go through with it? How was it?"

Hisao blushed, looking a little embarrassed. He looked around, checking to make sure no one they knew was on the train with them before he turned to his friend.

"- Really Mikaru?_ On the train _is the _best possible time_ for you to bring that up? It _couldn't _have been at the hotel, or I don't know, _when I'm dead?_"

Mikaru chuckled, crossing his arms and looking up at the ceiling.

"... You chickened out, didn't you?"

Hisao smacked him on the arm, a little peeved.

"Jackass... I didn't chicken out, okay? We just weren't ready."

Mikaru looked over at him seriously.

"... I'm glad you did, then. It's good you actually talked about it, though. Patience is a virtue, after all."

Hisao scoffed at his friend, crossing his arms and leaning in his direction.

"... So, why didn't _you?_"

Mikaru looked over at him without turning his head. It wasn't his _'don't fuck with me'_ look, but it was something close to it. More along the lines of _'Someone get me the shovel'_, or _'Thin ice, buddy...'._

"... We did. _I don't rush_, Hisao. We both knew what we were doing; we also knew it was for the right reasons."

Hisao uncrossed his arms, sitting up straight before speaking.

"Alright, Mikaru. _You got this. _Anyway, that's a bad topic I think. Just looking out, man. So, what did you score on that last test?"

Mikaru chuckled, looking in between his feet.

"You, uh... _you don't wanna know..._"

Hisao grinned, turning to his friend again.

"... That bad, huh? Heh, I got 94%. I could help you study, or..."

Mikaru chuckled, holding his arm up.

"Hey, man, I told you that you wouldn't want to know. _I never said it was a failure, though._"

Hisao frowned at his friend.

"... So what did you get, then?"

Mikaru sighed, looking away.

"I aced it. Like the last _every single test ever._ Well, besides the driving test. _That one's a bitch._"

Hisao balked at his friend, stammering a little before talking wildly.

"H – How? You never study! You skip! _How could you possibly be doing so well?_"

Mikaru chuckled shaking his head at Hisao.

"Haha, that's classified information, Hisao. Suffice it to say that I'm a very hard worker, and am good at multitasking."

Hisao just shook his head violently, deciding that he didn't want to talk to his friend at the moment.

* * *

><p>It was 13:20 when they arrived at the hotel. It was a fairly large place, and the Lobby was bustling with activity. On a set of screens, a wedding reception was being broadcast to a crowd of expectant people, who were talking animatedly amongst themselves. Mikaru and the others took in the grand place before walking up to the front desk, spotting a middle – aged man who was a little fat.<p>

"Excuse me, sir?"

The man looked up at the three teens, clearing his throat and speaking through a smile.

"Ah, Hello! Welcome to Hotel Okura! How may I help you today?"

Mikaru stepped up to the desk, pulling out his wallet and presenting his ID.

"I have a reservation here, for the Garden Wing, Embassy Suite. Kanasu Mikaru?"

The man frowned, looking at the ID and looking back at him. After a moment, he looked back at Mikaru and smiled.

"It appears that you do! You must have pretty rich parents! How many nights are you staying, again?"

Mikaru put his wallet away, looking back up at the man.

"We check out Sunday. That's five nights, then?"

The man balked a little, doing the math.

"... You're paying almost 100,000 Yen."

Mikaru raised his stub to his nose, sighing. He looked back at the man, pulling a business card out of his shirt pocket.

The man took it from his stubs, reading it over, then looking back up at Mikaru.

"It's a special occasion. Can you please get someone to bring our bags up to our room? Hisao, the man behind me, will take the key."

The man smiled, nodding.

"Hard work really pays off, huh? I wish I owned a company!"

Mikaru chuckled, bowing politely and turning to his friends. Hanako ran up to him when he did, burying her hands and face into his chest.

"You guys ready to go up and unpack?"

Hisao nodded, stepping past him to retrieve the key. Hanako kept her face hidden in his chest, feeling him chuckle against her. He wrapped her arms around her, holding her for a moment before he gently raised her face to look at his.

"Hey Hanako. Missed me?"

She blushed, nodding a bit. It wasn't true, of course, but he didn't think he minded having an excuse to hold her. After a moment, and a man in a black suit collected their things on a trolley, they walked through the hotel, approaching their suite. After about five minutes of walking and elevators, the man stopped at the door to a room marked 'EMBASSY'. Hisao stepped past him, unlocking the door with the key, and they let the man in first, him pushing the trolley into a small room and approaching a set of double doors. He opened them, pushing them into the room and setting them on stoppers before he walked in, setting to work on organizing the luggage in the center of the suite. Hisao, Mikaru and Hanako walked in after him, taking their shoes off. Mikaru walked in first, examining the room, while Hanako and Hisao took their sweaters off and hung them in the closet. When they stepped in, they stopped, gasping at the sight.

The room itself wasn't overly large, but it was certainly larger than they were expecting. It was lavishly decorated in antique furniture, and it had an elegant beige and brown color palate, which was calming to look at. The room had a fair bit of natural light, but soft accent lights were spread out along the room. To the right of the room, they say another set of double doors, which no doubt led to the bedroom. The whole suite had a distinctive European styling, and it was very pleasing to look at.

"Man, would I ever love to live here!"

Hisao was visibly excited, until he paused, looking around again until he spotted the couch. After a moment, he turned back to the center of the room, where Mikaru was arguing quietly with the attendant about a tip. Mikaru, of course, insisted on a tip, but the man himself felt it wrong to take a tip for such a measly task. After a short discussion, the man agreed to take the money, only after promising to be the one to help them bring their luggage back. Overall, it was a rather funny thing to hear, but they paid it little mind as the man bowed deeply, before leaving the suite. After he left, Hisao walked over to the couch and plopped down, rubbing his eyes before looking at Mikaru.

"- What? Just warming it up for later. You know, because I'm not getting the bedroom, and all."

Mikaru crossed his arms, raising his eyebrow and chuckling.

"Is that so? What if _Hanako _was sleeping on the couch?"

Hanako snapped her eyes in Mikaru's direction, pouting like her candy was just stolen. Hisao looked between the two before laughing loudly, refusing to move.

"Oooohhhh no, Mikaru, _I'm not going to be responsible for that face. _I'm sleeping on the couch, and you and your girlfriend can share the bed, like _boyfriends and girlfriends do._"

Mikaru chuckled, looking over at Hanako and holding his arms out to her. She looked at him pouting for a moment longer before crossing her arms, closing her eyes and looking away from him. She was shaking a little, and even though she wasn't _too _serious, it made Mikaru want to die a little on the inside, both from the cuteness and from the action itself. He groaned a little, getting on his knees before the girl and speaking dramatically.

"_Oooohohohoooo_! _What have I done? _I have estranged my dearest love; my truest friend; my lovely Hanako! How could I possibly live with myself? Forgive me, my darling Hanako, for I have sinned against thee!"

She peeked at him from under her eyelid as he spoke, eventually cracking and giggling madly, kneeling down and hugging him tight. When she did, he chuckled, hugging her back. Hisao watched this unfold, smiling at the fun his friends were having together, just being silly. After they got up, Mikaru looked over at the luggage, checking to make sure everything was there, before he picked up Hisao's briefcase, placing it on the table.

"Hisao, now's a good time to take your pills. Me and Hanako will set to work unpacking while you do. By the time you've finished, we'll have all our stuff separated, and then we can go out and grab some lunch. Sound good?"

Hisao groaned, nodding before snapping open the briefcase, pulling out his bottles of medications. After they were all out and in order, he set forth on his task, systematically popping each one. True to his word, Mikaru and Hanako were indeed finished by the time Hisao was, who was feeling a little queasy. When he recovered from his initial sickness, he nodded to his friends, and they left the room.

* * *

><p>Mikaru, Hisao and Hanako sat at a small cafe, looking over a map and tour guide of Tokyo. They were currently discussing what exactly they wanted to do, when they heard laughter from across the cafe. Mikaru turned his head a little, listening to the voices of the girls as they spoke.<p>

"_... What do you think, Akemi – chan?"_

"_- Me? Oh, that's tough. I mean, yes, he's gorgeous, but he has no hands. He can't have a lot of disposable income, and... well, he's foreign. What about the boy in the middle, Mio – chan?"_

"_I don't know, Akemi – chan. He's alright, I guess, but I think that he's dating that other girl."_

"_Her? You're kidding, right? Did you SEE her when she walked in? She was like a piece of burnt toast! Nobody could ever be attracted to a girl like that. She's just too ugly."_

"_- I don't know about that either, Akemi. She's got good proportions. Maybe somebody would like her if their eyes were closed. That, and some people aren't as superficial as you are; maybe she found someone like herself to be with."_

Mikaru looked back at the paper, thinking. Hanako didn't seem to notice the other girls talking, and they were girls, so he didn't quite know what to do. So, he pointed to a spot on the map, and Hisao and Hanako started talking about it again, weighing the pros and cons. Hanako was unwittingly giving him the time he needed to handle this with her nervous stuttering; something he was silently thankful for. With that, he turned his head again, listening to the two girls again.

"_... I don't know, Mio – chan. You really think I should go over there? How do I even know that he speaks Japanese?"_

"_- That's the point! You can go over there, impress him with your English skills, and scope it out! I just noticed what brand his shirt was when he shifted; it's like, 15,000 Yen. He's hot, too! I think you should do it."_

"_Fine. I'll do it. Wish me luck!"_

The girl stood up then, and he heard her footsteps getting closer and closer. Eventually they stopped, and he felt a tap on his shoulder. As he did, he opened his eyes, turning to her and looking at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Hey there! What's your name, _handsome?_"

Hanako looked up at the girl, her eyes widening a bit. Hisao's eyes were even wider, and he was completely frozen. The girl had, indeed, spoken English when she greeted him, and it was that that helped Mikaru execute a plan to ditch this girl, as well as make Hanako feel good all at the same time.

_Step one: Stare at her dumbly. Wait for her to try speaking again, before cutting her off in Japanese._

"Do you... Do you speak -"

"_Sumimasen. Nehongoga wakarimas - ka?_"

The girl's eyes widened a bit, before she shook her head and switched to her native language.

"- Oh, you speak Japanese! I thought that -"

"- You thought that because I'm white that I spoke French? I could have spoken Polish for all you know. Anyhow, What do you need? Is it anything important?"

She frowned, crossing her arms.

_...Step one, complete. _

_Step two: Make her feel insignificant._

"- Me and my friends were just in the middle of something important here."

She looked down at the paper, seeing all the spots they had marked.

"... Some of those places are expensive! I wish I could go sometime. Do you know anyone that could take me?"

Mikaru looked down, contemplating it for a moment. Then, he looked at Hanako, winking to her. She noticed.

"Hanako, _do you _know anyone who could take this girl somewhere expensive?"

She looked at Mikaru for a second, getting the vaguest idea that Mikaru was toying with this girl for some reason, and he wanted her to play along. She looked the girl up and down, before looking at Mikaru and surprising them all. She got up, walked over to him, and sat in his lap, putting her arms around his neck.

"... Yeah, but... he's taken."

Hisao was just now starting to move, looking at his friends and the baffled girl. Clearly _he fucking missed _something, because Hanako _never _did stuff like that in public. Looking at the girl, he waited until she looked at him, before speaking.

"... Hey, do you know what's going on? One minute, you were walking up here, trying to talk to us, and the next, Kanasu's girlfriend was in his lap."

The girl recovered, smiling widely at him.

"Oh, I was just looking for somebody to spend some time with. Do _you _happen to know anyone who's free soon?"

_*DRRR-DRRR-DRR-*_

Hisao looked down at his phone, seeing it was Lilly before he raised his finger, picking it up.

"... Lilly?"

"_Hisao! How was your trip down?"_

"Oh, it was pretty good. Mikaru was being an idiot, as usual. Hanako was excited. Oh! We're staying at the _Okura, _in the Embassy suite. You heard of it?"

The girl's eyes widened at the mention of the Okura, watching as the boy spoke.

Lilly gasped on the other end, speaking quickly.

"_Embassy? For Five days? You're kidding! Mikaru really spared no expense on this trip."_

"Hah! You know it. Anyhow, we're just eating lunch, so I'll call you back tonight, all right?"

"_Haha. Okay, Hisao. 'Don't go falling in love now', Okay? You made a promise, after all."_

"You got it. Bye, Lilly."

"_Goodbye, Hisao."_

He hung up, looking back at the girl.

"Who was that?"

"That? Oh, that was my girlfriend, Lilly. Anyway, you were saying?"

The girl froze, looking back and forth between the three people, before speaking again.

"I uh... nothing. I think I'm asking the wrong people. Good, uh... goodbye."

She turned, fleeing back to her table. Hisao looked over with a bit of interest as the other girl she was with was balking at them, making him wonder what _exactly _just transpired, and why he wasn't sure.

"Mikaru? Do you... do you know what just happened?"

Before he could speak, the other girl came over to them, looking smug.

"- Hey there. Sorry about my friend, she's a little weak. What do you say you ditch the freak and come with me?"

Eyes were turning to their table now, and Hanako's head was tucked into his chest. Mikaru didn't speak, though. He just waited. Hisao cleared his throat, getting the girl's attention.

"I, uh... I think you should go now. You've overstayed your welcome, and my friend has a notoriously short temper."

The girl snorted a bit, putting her hand on Mikaru's shoulder.

"Come on, _gorgeous! _I could show you a _real _good time..."

Mikaru spoke, looking at Hanako.

"... Do I look like I'm having fun right now? My girlfriend is a thousand times better of a woman than you could ever dream to be. And here you stand, spouting your bile like you matter. You should leave, before you embarrass us all any more than you already have."

The girl stared at the group for a minute, scoffing.

"You're a bunch of freaks. I don't have time for a loser like you, boy."

"_... Then leave, before I make you."_

Hanako was _pissed. _She looked at Mikaru a moment, staring into his eyes before she stood up, walking up to the girl and looking down at her. Hanako was usually a pretty small looking person, but she was actually only about three inches shorter than Lilly when she stood at her full height. The other girl, standing a half a foot shorter than that, was dwarfed by Hanako's surprisingly imposing figure.

"Mikaru is a great man. He's survived and accomplished things other people can only _dream _about. He's _not _a loser. He's _not _a freak. He _certainly _wouldn't be caught _dead_ with a girl like _you, _either. He's _much _smarter than that. In fact, you're lucky he even brought himself down enough to _speak _to you."

The other girl crossed her arms.

"Is that so? Then why does he even _tolerate _you?"

Hanako didn't flinch at the words.

"... He already told you. I'm a thousand times the woman you are. Don't think you scare me; I've seen worse."

Hanako's eyes were boring into the smaller girl's. The girl's confident smirk she was wearing disappeared after a while, and she started looking around nervously. She could see the patrons of the cafe watching them, glancing around the scene that was unfolding.

"- What's wrong? Don't tell me that you're already losing your nerve."

Hanako crossed her arms, staring at the girl still. The girl looked back at her, flinching at the movement.

"You're _pathetic_. To think that you called _us _losers and freaks; I only see one here, and I _don't _see a mirror, either."

The girl started tearing up a bit at Hanako's cold words, but nobody stopped her. Most of them had heard the initial conversation anyway; if not, then they were quickly filled in. The entire place was rooting for Hanako right now.

"There's only one of you, and two of us! We can take you!"

"... Really? _I think you're mistaken._"

The girl spun around, noticing that her friend had already left. Well, her ex – friend. She turned back to Hanako slowly.

"- You see? _Your own friend left you._ _Mine are right behind me. _I don't need to look; I already know. That's the kind of people they are, and it's the person I am. I _earned_ that. What have you earned? Not much, at a glance."

The girl was backing away slowly. Hanako stood her ground, not needing to move to be heard.

"... The next time someone tells you to leave, _you should listen. _Most times, it's for your own good. Now... _Leave._"

The girl turned on her heel, stumbling before sprinting out of the store. The bell chimed after her, and there was cheering and applause from the other patrons. When Hanako turned around, Mikaru was watching her with a proud smile on his face, and Hisao was smugly watching her also, smiling widely. She took a moment before she walked over to the table and sat down quietly.

"I'm proud of you, Hanako. You did good there."

She looked up at her boyfriend, smiling a little. She had something she wanted to say to him, but it could wait. As it was, she was already feeling like she was going to die, so she didn't trust her voice. For once, her mouth _didn't _betray her.

Hisao smiled at Hanako, interjecting.

"... I like angry Hanako. I should steal your toothbrush, or something. Anyway, How's about we check out that Ferris wheel?"

* * *

><p>Two hours later, Hisao and the others were walking around when Mikaru looked at a building in the distance, and jumped a little.<p>

"Oh! I nearly forgot. Hisao, Hanako, why don't you two go looking around for a bit? I have to stop by the Canadian Embassy to get some paperwork done. Here, take this. You think you guys could do that for me?"

Hanako took the 5000 yen note he gave her, looking to Hisao and speaking.

"S – Sure, Mikaru. H – Hisao? Do you want to go to that – to that book store over there?"

Hisao nodded, smiling at Hanako.

"Sure thing. Mikaru, do you think you're going to take long?"

Mikaru shook his head.

"I think It's going to take no time at all, but everything takes longer than it takes. So, wish me luck!"

He plodded away happily.

* * *

><p>Mikaru came back two hours later, looking passive. Hanako ran to him when she saw him, giving him a hug. Hisao strode up quickly, catching his breath for a second before speaking.<p>

"So, what was that you said? 'Everything takes longer than it takes'? That's good. I'll use that someday. Speaking of which, _what the hell, Kanasu?!_"

Mikaru looked up at Hisao, smiling bigger than he should have been.

"I'm sorry, were you talking to me? _I don't know any 'Kanasu'..._"

Hisao paused, his hand coming to his face. Hanako looked up at him, holding his shoulders.

"You... you did it, didn't you?"

Mikaru smiled, pulling out his passport.

"... Yup. I am now 'Michael Souta' once more. _Huzzah!_"

Hisao laughed at the funny English word, running up behind Hanako and taking the passport, looking at the photo.

"... Dude, you look _pissed. _Like, if I were working airport security, and I didn't know who you were, _I wouldn't let you on the plane._"

Mikaru laughed, watching as Hanako took it from Hisao, putting it into his pocket again.

"Miieeeekaelluh... Souta. I don't... Can I still call you Mikaru?"

Mikaru laughed a little, kissing Hanako before pulling away, nodding.

"Sure. Souta Mikaru. It's fitting. I like it."

Hanako beamed at him, and Hisao coughed into his hand. They both turned to him, looking expectantly.

"Oh, uh, it's just getting a little cold. It's supposed to be summer, dammit! Where's my warmth!? My sunshine?!"

Mikaru laughed, walking.

"Come on; if we start walking now, we can make it back to the Hotel by dinnertime. There's a neat little restaurant there that we can eat at; that, or we can just get room service. Hanako, what do you think?"

Hanako pondered it for a moment, before speaking.

"I think... that the restaurant sounds... sounds better. I'd probably just want to sleep if – if we went back..."

She was looking at him, her eyes twinkling a little in a way that made him wonder if she was really thinking about sleeping right now.

"All right, Restaurant it is! Come on, Hisao, you're slowing us down again you old geezer."

Hisao balked, standing in place for a moment before he caught up to them.

"Dammit, I'm _younger than you!_"

* * *

><p>The restaurant had a darker color scheme than the suite did, with a deep chestnut brown as the primary color, and a more sandy, tanned beige serving as the accent. The light was soft, but it was yellow as opposed to white, like the suite's lights were. Where they were, they could see a large bench seat, which waved at the headrest. At the apex of each wave, a table was placed, which had a single chair on the outside. There was art all around them, and it had a luxurious but surprisingly homely feel and atmosphere to it. The three of them sat across from one another, looking back and and forth as they spoke.<p>

"So What are we going to do tomorrow? Are we going to hit the Ferris wheel then?"

"- Hisao, you say _'Ferris Wheel' _one more time, I swear... besides that, we came here for a reason, you know."

Hisao paused, looking at his friend.

"You're doing it tomorrow?"

Mikaru nodded, speaking.

"I'm going to her place tomorrow; I know where it is, but I wanted to have my name back before I spoke with her. I'd like if you came along as well, but you don't have to if you don't want to. I don't suspect I'll be doing much, besides catching up with her and inviting her out on Saturday, but I think that she'd like to meet you. I didn't have many friends when I was growing up. Well, I think it was two, if I remember correctly. Not including cell mates, of course. Besides that, I'm probably going to end up telling her about you anyhow, so you coming would make it easier."

Hisao nodded at his friends words, smiling slightly.

"Sure. I'd be happy to. So, Wednesday and Saturday are taken, leaving Thursday and Friday to party. Personally, I think that we should hit the Fe – uh, _'The Circular Thing with Carriages'_... on Thursday, because that's something you gotta do late at night, and I don't think that being dead tired on Saturday would do us very good at all."

Mikaru nodded at his friend's reason. He turned to Hanako, then.

"What about you, Hanako? Would you like to come tomo -"

"_- Yes, Mikaru. I'm coming._"

He chuckled, smiling at his girlfriend.

"... I love it when you do that. So forceful. Oh, look, I think that's us."

Just then, their food arrived at the table, and they started eating. Hisao was wolfing noodles down, munching on chicken, and Hanako was happily eating a salad. Mikaru was watching them with amusement, content on sipping a water for a while. Eventually, Hanako finished her meal and shifted her chair over to his, picking up his fork.

... Chopsticks hated Mikaru, even if someone else was using them.

* * *

><p>It was a long meal, and when they got back they were exhausted. Hisao was patting his stomach, walking over to his briefcase and pulling out medications. As he did, Mikaru walked over to him, standing in front of him and speaking as he went through his nighttime routine.<p>

"All right, Hisao? There's a second bathroom in the corner there. That one is yours, and yours _alone_. However, that also means that if you have to do anything other than bathing, you are using it. Okay?"

Hisao nodded, stretching a bit as he turned around and took off his shirt.

"... I know you like to take long showers, so Me and Hanako will bathe tonight. Since you sleep heavier than either of us, we will be out by the time you wake up, and you can bathe then. Sound good?"

Hisao nodded, then plopped down on the couch. He got an itch, right in the middle of his back, that for the life of him he could not scratch.

"EEEuuuuugh... _fucking hate these ones... _Sure, Mikaru. So, all my stuff is by the bathroom then?"

Mikaru nodded, smiling at his friend.

"Yes. How's your medicine situation? Are you going to make it back to Yamaku?"

Hisao was willing around a bit, trying to scratch his insatiable itch. It was not doing him any good, though..

"I should be, Mikaru. I still have the fresh bottles after all, and I have enough to last me exactly a day on my current ones. Go away. I need to brush my teeth and sleep."

Mikaru chuckled, nodding and waving as he walked into the double doors to his room.

"You got it, Hisao."

When he got in, he turned around and closed the doors to the room, locking them. When he did, Hanako came out of the bathroom, wiping her hands on her shirt. She looked up at him, walking over slowly.

"Is he...?"

Mikaru shook his head, walking over to her and taking her into his arms. He leaned down, raising her chin with his right stub as he brought his lips down to hers. She put her hands on his stomach, kissing him back happily. After their kiss ended, she grabbed his shirt, dragging him backwards into the bathroom with an almost cheeky look on her face. When she got him close, she spun them around, walking him in backwards before she turned around, locking the bathroom door and turning back to him again slowly.

"... I have to tell you something, Mikaru..."

She walked up to him, gripping his shirt at the middle before pulling him down into a searing hot kiss. It was the most passionate kiss he'd ever been a part of, and he was _loving this._

"... You know I love you, _but now I'm going to tell you why._"

She reached up to his neck, popping the buttons open as she spoke, punctuating her words as she did.

"Ever since you met me, you never tried to protect me, or find out how I was broken."

She popped the fifth. Only seven more to go.

"At first, I thought it was because you didn't really care, and that you were just too nice to say it."

She popped the seventh. Only Five more now. She was slowing down her popping, teasing him with her fingers.

"... I found out, though, that you always knew what I needed. I didn't need somebody to protect me. I didn't need someone to fix me, either..."

She popped the eleventh button. She waited to pop the last one.

"... All I needed was somebody to accept what I was, and let me show them what I wanted. To give me strength by _needing _me to be strong. You did all of that."

She popped it then, sliding her hands up his torso, over his pectorals, and onto his shoulders.

"... _I want you, Mikaru..._"

Her hands slid down his shoulders slowly, brushing the shirt aside even slower. His heart was beating faster than it ever had before, and his breathing was becoming erratic. She pushed her hands outwards, the shirt now falling uselessly to the ground.

"_... So take Me."_

Mikaru didn't need to be asked twice.

* * *

><p>The next morning, Mikaru was the first to wake, memories of their passionate night coming back to him quickly. The shower they took together was long, and it was a wonder that Hisao hadn't woken up from the noise. He looked down at Hanako, who was nestled in his arms, and he smiled. As he was remembering her words, she woke up, stretching her arms out over her head and yawning deeply. When she finished that, she opened her eyes, looking at him. A happy smile came over her face, and she spoke to him.<p>

"Good morning, Mikaru. Did you sleep well?"

Her voice was still quiet, but he could definitely get used to hearing her speak so clearly and confidently to him.

"- Best sleep of my life. Last night was... _oh my god, Hanako. _Wow."

She giggled, kissing him on the nose.

"I know. I really enjoyed that. It was better than the first time, _definitely _better, but I'm a little more sore today."

He chuckled, returning her kiss with a kiss of his own.

"I think that a little extra time in bed won't kill us. _We've earned that._"

She laughed at him, smacking him lightly on the chest before kissing him on the lips. After a minute of kissing him, she pulled away, smiling.

"... Every time we do this. That happens _every time._"

He smiled, dazed from her kiss. He nodded obediently at her, and she smiled wider, giggling.

"I love you, Mikaru."

"I love you too, Hanako. Do you want to wake up Hisao now?"

She nodded, moving to get up. She paused when she was sitting up, but eventually managed to get to her feet.

"... You sure you want to be walking like that?"

She turned to him, putting her hands on her hips.

"Yes, I believe _I do, _thank you very much."

She hopped in place a bit, a little more steadily each time, until she decided she was ready to move. Seeing her walking somewhat normally, he chuckled silently, getting up himself. When he stood, he wobbled a bit from tiredness, but he didn't fall over. From behind him, he heard Hanako giggling again.

"_- You sure you want to be walking like that, Mikaru?"_

He turned to her, laughing at her witty banter.

"Indeed I do, Miss Ikezawa. Please throw me a shirt."

She smiled, tossing him one of her shirts, giggling when he examined it. He looked up at her, seeing her giggling behind her hand. Since she was in the middle of changing, all she had on was a pair of jeans. He smiled, walking over to her. She raised her brow at him, watching as he fitted his arms into the shirt's bottom, approaching her with his own brow raised. She turned quickly, picking a bra before putting it on, turning back to him. He turned her around again, coaxing her hands up. She rose her arms over her head, laughing a little as he dressed her. She was surprised at how good he was at it, feeling that the shirt wasn't even stretched from his actions. She spun around again, holding out a different shirt for him. This one was a fleece plaid shirt. _So much plaid. Must be a Canadian thing. He wears it well, though, if I do say so myself. _

He stuck his arm out, feeling her slide the sleeve onto his arm as she started to talk.

"You were good at that, Mikaru. Did you... Did you have practice?"

He chuckled, smiling at her.

"I _do _own t – shirts, you know. I just don't wear them when I'm with you."

She spun to face him, doing up the buttons.

"Oh? Why is that, Mikaru?"

He smiled at her, resting his arms on hers when there were three buttons left.

"... It's the buttons, Hanako. I... I've always had a thing, for... well, girlfriends and buttons. There's something else, too, but I'll let you figure _that one _out on your own."

She chuckled at his admission, rolling up the sleeves the way he liked them.

"... 'Girlfriends' and buttons? I thought you were a one – girl kind of guy..."

He chuckled, raising his arm and kissing her. He pulled away too soon, leaving Hanako breathless.

"_I am, Miss Ikezawa. One girl. That's you."_

She smiled, satisfied at his answer.

"Well, in that case Mister Souta, I think I can let it slide. Not the other thing, though... _I want to know._"

He laughed, taking her into his arms.

"It's not the kind of thing a guy can _tell _a girl to do. They just have to do it. You'll know, when the time is right. When that happens, that's it; we're stuck together, forever. It's the rule."

She looked up at him, smiling.

"The rule of what?"

The next part was said in English, although it wasn't that hard. After that, he spoke in Japanese again.

"'M – A – S', Hanako. When you find it, it's yours. No exceptions. Don't cheat and ask around or look it up, either. I promise, right now, on my life, that when it comes up, I'll tell you."

She smiled widely at his words, speaking instantly.

"- You said 'When'..."

He nodded, blushing a little.

"I did."

They stayed like that, smiling at each other, until they heard knocking at the doors.

"Hey! I'm up, now. Do you guys mind if I take my shower now?"

Mikaru and Hanako each opened a door, looking at him with smiles on their faces. Hisao thought it was creepy, and said as much.

"... Creepy. Is that a yes?"

Mikaru stepped aside, letting him through.

"Not creepy, Hisao. _Love. _You'll understand when you're older."

Hisao was quick on the trigger.

"... _Yesterday, I'm too old. Today, I'm too young._ What am I going to be _tomorrow, I wonder?_ _Surely not perfect_, that's for _damn sure..._"

He grumbled as he walked past them, closing and locking the bathroom doors behind him.

* * *

><p>The house was medium – sized. Nothing too special about that. In fact, this house was nearly identical to every other house on this street. It was almost exactly as he remembered it from when he used to live near here, in fact. Two things were different, though. First, the garden had an extension now, making it markedly different than the other houses. Walking up to it, he noted with a bit of pain the stone inuksuk that was nestled into a bed of blue flowers. They weren't native, either. They were Blue Hydrangeas, which were Mikaru's favourite flower. Hanako walked up beside him, kneeling down in front of the stone construct, touching it lightly.<p>

"What's this, Mikaru? I've never seen anything like it before..."

Mikaru didn't look at her as he spoke.

"This is called an 'Inuksuk', Hanako. It's a Native – American traditional form of artwork used for communication and marking. The word translates directly as 'Person substitute'. It's nestled in a flower called a Blue Hydrangea, which grows in Canada but is native to Europe. It's my favourite flower. This is.. this is me. This garden is me."

Hisao was standing behind them, looking down as Hanako brought one of the flowers to her face, sniffing it. As they stood, a man walked up behind them, grabbing Mikaru's attention.

"Hey, can I help you three with anything? Oh, please don't disturb the garden. My girlfriend cares about it very much."

Mikaru stood up straight, walking towards the man and crossing his arms. If the man noticed his lack of hands, he didn't show it. Mikaru spoke softly, then.

"... You're in a relationship with Tsukiko?"

The man crossed his arms to match him, observing the boy closely.

"Yeah, I am. You know her?"

Mikaru smiled a little, nodding.

"Yeah, very well. She was my old music teacher. I heard she lived here, and wanted to stop by and say hello. It's been... well, it's been too long."

The man uncrossed his arms, raising one of them to put his hand over his mouth and chin.

"Really? She never told me she was interested in music. I've always thought her voice was a little _too good, _though. You know? Heh. Where are my manners, I completely forgot to introduce myself. I'm Nanami Ryou. You can call me Mr. Nanami."

Mikaru smiled, extending his stub.

"My name is Mikaru."

He shook the stub a little stiffly, before he looked at his watch.

"Oh, you'll pardon me, I have to be going now. She's inside, and she's awake if you want to go say hello. Have a pleasant day, Mikaru."

Mikaru nodded, watching the man as he got into his car and drove away. After he was gone, Hisao walked up to him, patting him on the shoulder.

"... He had no clue. That's... that's good, right?"

Mikaru didn't speak. Instead, he walked up to the door, taking a deep breath and thumping it lightly. Hanako walked up to him then, grabbing a hold of his arm and holding him steady. Hisao patted him on his shoulder again before he stepped back, watching from the side.

Light footfalls were heard from inside the house.

A light was turned on.

A lock was clicked.

Mikaru took a deep breath.

The door opened.

"_Moshimo -_"

The woman's greeting stopped dead in her throat as she observed the man that stood before her. His arm was hanging at his side, missing a hand. A beautiful girl was holding the other one, that hand missing as well. Scars could be seen over both of his arms. He was tall; taller than she'd ever thought a person could be. He was muscular, his posture tall and proud. His jaw was strong; it was covered in a neatly trimmed, thick red beard. His hair was a startling murky gold color, that was kept the same length as his beard.

... His eyes, unmistakable. Deep, vibrant green, fading into grayish blue, and a ring of copper in the middle. They were eyes she dreamed about every night, without fail. _No one _had those eyes. No one except her little boy. _No one. _

"_M – Mik – a – ru...?"_

She stared at his distinctive eyes in shock. After a minute, the man spoke, his voice a quiet, soft and gentle baritone that made her cry.

"... _Mom..._"

* * *

><p><strong>AN: (Just for reference, a common greeting in Japan is Moshimoshi. That is what Tsukiko was going to say.)**

End of Chapter Twenty – Seven: Behind These Bars, The Tokyo Connection: Part One!

Next Time! Chapter Twenty – Eight: Behind These Bars, The Tokyo Connection: Part Two!


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter Twenty – Nine: Behind These Bars, The Tokyo Connection: Part Two!**

* * *

><p>The air was silent as the grave as the two people stared into each others' eyes. After two minutes of staring, the woman's hand rose at her side, slowly coming forward shakily. She was still looking into his eyes when she made contact with the fleece, pushing through to feel the hard, muscled chest that rested underneath it. When she did, her breath was stolen from her, her hand resting on his chest as she felt tears flowing from her eyes. Her jaw was working up and down, unable to comprehend what was happening to her. After a moment, she felt the strong, steady beating of his heart, a heavy <em>thunking <em>that was slow and rhythmic. She held her hand there, over his heart, until his free arm came up, resting over her fingers. When she felt the contact her eyes snapped down to her hand, seeing him holding her hand against him. She started looking between the point of contact and his eyes again frantically, before a loud sob escaped her throat and she launched herself against him. She clutched him tightly, weeping into her son's chest.

"Mikaru! Mikaru! MIKARU! Mi -"

She kept on saying his name, clutching him as tightly as she could, sobbing into his chest. His shirt felt damp with her tears, but she couldn't stop herself. As she cried, his arm came out from in between them and he held her to him. The girl was still holding his other arm, which he made no effort to move.

"I'm home, Mom. I missed you..."

His voice was the same calm, warm and soft tone it had been when he first spoke. She started crying harder at his words, her knees giving out on her. She slumped down a bit, only to be lifted back up and held tighter than before.

"_I missed you so much. So very, very much, My Little Boy. So very much..._"

Her tears started to dry up, but she didn't cling to him any looser than before. After two minutes of holding him, He spoke.

"May we... may we come in? I have so much I want to tell you."

She let go of him, holding his arm and chest firmly. She looked to his left, where the girl was watching her with tears in her eyes, and then his right, where an equally stoic figure watched them, smiling widely at the two of them. She nodded a little dumbly, stepping aside and watching as the boy walked in, taking off his shoes and waiting for the girl to do so as well, before walking up the edge into the house proper, and walking over to the couch, taking a seat. The Girl sat beside him, stroking his cheek with a scarred hand. She then turned her head to the other boy, who stepped into the foyer before bowing deeply to her, removing his own shoes before walking over to the couch himself, taking a seat. After a moment, she turned to the door, closing it before walking over to a chair that sat across from them and taking a seat weakly. She gazed at the man, who was watching her expectantly. After a minute, he started speaking.

"... I got your letter. Oji sends his love, as well as a desire not to be murdered in his sleep."

She laughed softly at that, noting that under the prompt, eloquent speech was the same cheeky humour that he was famous for.

"I guess I should start by introducing us. To my left is my best friend, Nakai Hisao. He has helped me immensely over the past weeks, and I couldn't be here today without him."

Hisao bowed in his seat, speaking as he came up.

"Hello, Mrs. Souta. I'm honoured to meet you."

She smiled at the polite boy, speaking in a weak but happy voice.

"Please... call me... call me Tsukiko, Hisao."

He smiled, nodding at the woman. Mikaru spoke after a moment.

"To my right is Ikezawa Hanako. She is my girlfriend, and she has been just as much of a boon to me as Hisao, if not more."

Hanako bowed to the woman, speaking shyly.

"H – Hello, Mrs. S – S – Souta..."

She smiled sweetly at the beautiful girl, speaking warmly.

"Please, Hanako, call me Tsukiko as well. No girlfriend of my son's will feel uncomfortable near me."

Hanako smiled sweetly at her, nodding her head.

"_... Okay... Tsukiko..._"

Mikaru smiled, continuing his tale.

"I've been busy since I last saw you, Mom. I started a company, that deals in computer hardware and software for the disabled."

She smiled, gasping.

"You... you did? When?"

"While I was in prison. I had time, so I designed products and started making deals with people. Since I started almost five years ago, I have made approximately 363,000,000,000 yen in profit. I have also done many donations to various educational facilities, as well as other charities for the handicapped, and am one of the world leaders in digital accessibility."

Her hand came up to her mouth as he spoke. She was _speechless_. _Her son, a trillionaire?_

"I took up martial arts again, too. I know six now, and currently hold the world record of being the youngest man to ever complete the _Hyakunin Kumite_. I am also the first disabled person to ever complete it."

"I... I don't know – what to say..."

Mikaru smiled at his mother, taking a moment to let her collect herself before he started up again.

"I saved someone's life, too. She was being assaulted, but I used my knowledge to stop her attacker. I soon attended her wedding, where I found out that they met after the first concert I ever did, in Toronto."

She smiled at her son proudly, who was still the same, caring, compassionate person she raised.

"After I got out and completed the Kumite, I went to high school, where I am on track to graduate with honours. It's this place in the mountains of the Yamagata prefecture called Yamaku Academy, that specializes in peoples with disabilities. That's where I met my friends. Hisao was the first person to talk to me there, actually. He's been my partner in crime ever since – uh, sorry about that – and Hanako met me shortly after he did. She helped me come to terms with what happened to me, as well as inspired me to start living my life again. There are others, as well. One girl, named Ibarazaki Emi, is a legless runner. She's the fastest person on her track team, and she gets faster every time I see her. Another is Tezuka Rin, who is an armless painter. She is peculiar, and sticks to Emi like glue. Then there's Mikki, who is also on the track team. After that, there's my friend Kenji, who is paranoid and thinks the entire female populace is out to get him and end all of mankind. After that, I made friends with a girl named Satou Lilly, who is half Scottish. She is related to the lawyers that put me away, actually. She's a nice girl, though. Finally, there's Carla Simpson, who is working on a special project with me that I am the most excited to talk about."

Her mother sat forward in her chair looking happily and expectantly at him.

"What's that, Mikaru?"

He smiled at her widely for a moment before he croaked out his greatest achievement.

"Carla... Carla is helping me... _write music again!_ I'm writing a concert, _the greatest one I've ever written!_"

The woman felt tears coming to her eyes again.

"_R – Really? That's – that's wonderful! _When – When is it?_"_

He smiled, feeling a tear rolling down his cheek.

"I think the end of the summer. I was talking to an agent, and we've been discussing Sydney."

The woman smiled brightly at her son, her hands coming to her face.

"Mikaru... _I'm so proud of you. _Truly, I am. I could have never dreamed that you'd become so much when you were that scared little boy, lying on the hospital bed. Now, look at you; you're all grown up, and you're living the kind of life I could never have given you. I... I... I just wish that I had been able to be there for you, when you needed me. I'm... I'm sorry, Mikaru. I can't know what you went through, and what you had to endure to get here today, but I am so very thankful that you found it in your heart to forgive me."

Mikaru shook his head, leaning forward.

"No, Mom. I was never mad at you. I though – I thought that you were _ashamed _of me, and that I wasn't worthy to be your son. I know better, now. My friends taught me that, and thanks to them, I've recaptured my old passion, my happiness, and my name."

Hisao interjected then, surprising him.

"- You don't give yourself enough credit, Mikaru. You saved my life too, after all. Potentially many times, in fact. You brought me and Lilly together, as well."

Hanako nodded, squeezing his arm.

"Y – you've helped me, too, M – Mikaru. I couldn't have been – been happy without you..."

He smiled at his friends, drinking in their kind words. His mother smiled at them, but it was bittersweet.

"... So what happens now, Mikaru? I'd imagine that you have to return to your school soon, and I don't -"

"- Mom, just because I'm old and can take care of myself doesn't mean that I don't want you in my life anymore. I'm here for the rest of the week, and I have every intention of inviting you to my concert when it's ready. On the subject of invitations, though, I have an offer for you."

The woman crossed her hands on her lap, listening intently to her son.

"... This Saturday, I'd like to invite you and Mr. Nanami out to dinner with me, Hanako and Hisao. I don't have much time today to spend here, so I'd like to hear more about how you have been then."

The woman smiled, nodding her head.

"I will speak with him when he gets how from work. As for myself, well... I don't think I could handle work right now, to be honest."

Mikaru smiled, pulling out his phone.

"I have a number, now. You should take it down, and call me when you find out."

The woman beamed at her son, nodding. She pulled out a piece of paper, writing his name, and then his number when she saw it on his phone.

"Where is your school? It's in Yamagata, right?"

Mikaru smiled at her, giving her the address as well as his mailing address. After she did that, she got up, hugging Mikaru again. Before he left, though, he asked her a question.

"... Hey, Mom? Mr. Nanami told me that you didn't play music."

She looked up at him, a little sadly before she smiled, shaking her head.

"... I do now, Mikaru. I'm pulling our things out of storage. I still have all your old sheet music, in the attic somewhere. I could -"

Mikaru shook his head, smiling a little.

"Well, I can't really do anything but percussion. However, I think that you keeping them, and maybe using them for something else, like teaching others, is a good idea. I mean it, ma. Start teaching music again. It's what you love to do. You're good at it, too. The best, in fact."

She nodded at him, her jaw trembling a little.

"... Yes, Mikaru. I will do this. Now that I know you're still with me, I have no reason not to. Goodbye, Mikaru. I will be calling you."

Mikaru smiled, nodding his head before leaning down, kissing his mother on the cheek and turning to Hanako, extending his arm.

"Coming, Hanako?"

She nodded, taking hold of his arm again before she started to walk to the door. However, a hand on her arm stopped her, and she turned to Tsukiko. When she did, she was surprised to be wrapped in a warm hug, one that she couldn't help herself but to return fervently. She spoke softly into Hanako's ear then, making the girl gasp.

"... I'm glad that my son found someone as beautiful and sweet as you to share his heart with, Hanako. Thank you for being there for him."

Hanako pulled away, nodding happily. _I haven't felt a hug like that since before my mother died... _

After that, the three friends walked away, stepping into a cab before driving off. As they did, Tsukiko watched them, a hand coming to the cheek that Mikaru had kissed. After ten minutes of sitting there, Mr. Nanami pulled into the driveway, looking at his girlfriend at the door. He got out of the car, walking over to her quickly.

"... Hey, Tsukiko. Are you okay? I got a call at work, saying you hadn't shown up. What happened?"

She looked at the man for a moment, walking up to him and hugging him tightly. Mr. Nanami held her back, a little confused.

"He came back, Ryou... My son came back! _I thought I was never going to see him again..._"

He didn't quite know how to handle that, so he just settled for holding her tightly, reaching for his phone. He called his work, telling them that he was not going to be in, before he did the same with Tsukiko's and walked inside. He went over to the couch, sitting down with her and picking up the notepad that rested on the table.

_... Souta Mikaru_

He put it down, remembering how the boy and the girl were kneeling at the garden.

"The garden... it was his, wasn't it? His memorial?"

She nodded at him, tucking her head against his arm.

"... The Inuksuk in the centre was standing substitute for him. The flowers are his favourite. That's why, I... I took care of the garden each year. Because I couldn't take care of him."

Ryou tightened his arm around her, resting his cheek on her head.

"- So, he was the big one, then? The one with no hands?"

She looked up at him, nodding.

"... Oh. How – how long? How long has it been, Tsukiko?"

She paused, looking out the window.

"It has been almost six years since I saw him last. He's accomplished so much, since then."

The man nodded slightly, his head still resting on hers.

"He looked strong. Disciplined. He was well – spoken, as well. When did you have him?"

She froze in his arms at his question.

"I – I – I – _I can't... have..._"

The man held her a little tighter, kissing her on the crown.

"... So you adopted him, then? I think you did a good job, Tsukiko. When will we be seeing him again?"

She looked up at the man, astonished that he hadn't left like her first husband had, all those years ago. She felt herself tearing up, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him. She pulled away after that, resting her forehead on his.

"He – He has invited us to join him and his friends for dinner, this Saturday. I told him that I would talk with you about it, and call him back."

Ryou didn't hesitate.

"We'll join him then. Let's call him about it later, though. I think that you need to rest a while. Lay down, Tsukiko. I will make you some tea, and bring it to you when it's ready."

She nodded, getting up and heading to their room. When she had, the man got up, walking over to his sink and getting some water.

_Tsukiko had an adoptive child. She has music, too. I've learned so much about her today. I think her Ex-husband must have left her when he found out that she was infertile, though. Cockroach. _

He pit the kettle on the stove, turning it on and walking back over to the table, looking at the contact information laying there. He pulled out his phone, saving the information before heading out onto the back porch, pulling out a fresh pack of cigarettes and lighting one up. He took a drag, exhaling through his nose.

He didn't smoke much. Only when he was stressed out. His job was usually pretty calm, too, so he hadn't had much of a reason to. He took another drag, feeling his fingertips tingling a bit.

When he heard that his girlfriend hadn't shown up, he got worried about her. Had something happened to her, because of that man he saw in the garden? He took another drag, feeling the tingling in his toes.

Then, he gets home, and she's got a son, and they're going out to dinner on Saturday.

He took another drag, now feeling the slight tingling at the base of his neck, signalling the head rush that was coming. He sat down, flicking the end of his cigarette and exhaling deeply. _This is what love is about though, right? Accepting people unconditionally, no matter what new information comes your way? _

He finished his smoke, putting it out and sliding it into the ash container that was on the railing. He turned away then, walking inside his house to deal with the screaming kettle.

* * *

><p>After they left, Hisao took more of his medicine and they went to see a movie. When they got out, it was getting dark, so they headed straight back to their room, ordering some food up and changing into pyjamas. It arrived shortly, and the three of them sat around the table, eating in silence. After about five minutes of this, Hanako spoke.<p>

"Mikaru? How do you feel about all this?"

Mikaru looked over at Hanako, smiling.

"It feels good. It went better than I could have hoped for. I'm tired, though. You know?"

She smiled nodding at him. After they finished eating, they did their nighttime routines, setting into their respective sleeping spaces. Mikaru lied down heavily, smiling faintly as Hanako rested beside him.

"... You were right, Mikaru. About your mom."

He smiled at the memory of telling Hanako about her hugs, holding her tight to him.

"Yeah, she's... she's pretty special. Your hugs... your hugs feel the same, to me. That time, in the forest when you found me, it... it reminded me of her. I guess _you _remind me of her."

Hanako smiled, happy to be compared to the woman he thought so highly of. She kissed him on the lips, pulling away and looking at him deeply in the eyes.

"I hope I don't remind you _too much _of your mother, Mikaru. That would... that would be weird..."

He laughed at her words, pulling her close to him.

"- Just enough, Hanako. You are your own person, after all. Still just as special, though."

She beamed, snuggling into him and smelling his chest.

"You... you always know the right thing to say. Good night, Mikaru – Kun. I love you."

"... Good night, Hanako. I love you more."

She shook her head, smiling as she fell asleep. He joined her soon after.

* * *

><p>Mikaru woke up to the sound of his phone ringing. He reached his stub over, tapping it and sitting up.<p>

"... Hello?"

"_Mikaru?"_

Mikaru rubbed his eyes, waking up a little.

"Oh, hey mom. What's up?"

She let out a warm chuckle at his sleepy tone, taking a moment before she spoke happily.

"I couldn't reach you last night. I was too busy with the movers. I just wanted to tell you that Me and Ryou would be delighted to join you. Just tell us when and where, and we'll meet you."

Mikaru smiled, looking around to see Hanako getting up herself, just as sleepy as he was. She let out a large yawn, stretching her arm over her head before looking at him cutely.

"... I'll... I'll do that, Mom. I'll, uh... _I'll call you back. _Goodbye, Mom. Please hang up."

She chuckled, and the line went dead. When it did, Mikaru slid across the bed, sitting in front of Hanako. She got onto her knees, moving towards him before meeting him in the middle, sitting on his legs.

"Good morning, Hanako. You sleep well?"

She chuckled, kissing nim before speaking.

"... You were snoring. It was cute. I slept okay, though..."

He laughed, blushing a bit before he picked her up, setting her on her feet.

"I think you should jump in the shower, and I'll call room service for breakfast. After that, I'll wake up Hisao. I'm having a cold shower anyhow, so I'll go last."

She nodded, turning around and sleepily grabbing some things before walking into the bathroom. The rest of the morning pretty much went as planned, with the only exception being that Hanako was a little longer in the shower than they expected, and was still getting dressed by the time the food arrived. Soon after that, Mikaru looked into places, talking it over with Hanako and Hisao before he picked a spot and made a reservation. He had to throw a bit of money around, but he got the table eventually. After that, he called his mother back, letting her know the restaurant and time (which she balked at, of course, but said nothing of it) and jumped in after Hisao got out.

The group decided then that a bit of fun was in order, so they struck out, looking for something to do. Eventually, they came across a beautiful, aged area of town that was quaint, with loads of restaurants and cafes to visit. They went to one of the cafes, ordering some food before enjoying a nice afternoon just relaxing in the shade. Hisao was nursing a cup of coffee when he spoke.

"... Hey, Mikaru? What's one secret about yourself that no one else knows? I promise I won't tell, and I'll share one back."

Hanako looked at Mikaru, interested in this game as well, so Mikaru sighed before shifting a bit and speaking quietly.

"Well, back when I had hands, and a brief time afterwards, I used to smoke. The only people who knew about it are either dead, or long since unrecognizable. I mean, they'd probably know _me, _because I look so distinctive here, but I wouldn't know them from a stick in the mud."

Hanako balked at him, Hisao just nodding a bit.

"... Yeah, I could see why the appeal went away after that. I mean, it's kinda hard to light a cigarette with your feet, and I don't think it really suits you anyhow. Ok, one about me... You know how I found out about my Arrhythmia?"

Mikaru looked at Hisao now, interested.

"... A girl confessed to me in the forest after school. I had a heart attack before I could answer her."

Mikaru felt torn between laughing at his friend or feeling sorry for him, so he let out a distinctively Canadian sound, speaking a little quietly.

"_OOOhohohoooohhh..._ _No shit?_ Damn, that's gotta suck._"_

Hanako felt much the same way Mikaru did, but chose not to speak on it. Instead, she got their attention, sharing a secret of her own.

"I... I don't like Panda bears. Or – or _any _kind of bear. They scare me."

Mikaru chuckled a bit, reaching his stub across the table to her.

"- Rightfully so. My Grandfather wrestled a bear, once. Giant beast, twice his height and 6 times his weight. It got his arm. He couldn't play his guitar anymore, but he had arthritis anyway, so it wasn't a big deal."

Hisao balked at his friend.

"Your grandfather wrestled a _bear? _How old was he?"

Mikaru chuckled, looking at Hisao.

"He was 69, if I remember correctly. Hence the arthritis. He was a big fellow, though. It's where I got my size, actually. Funny bunch, us Kanases. I was the first Kanas boy to have green, blue, _or_ copper eyes. The rest of them had either fully grey eyes, or they were black."

Hanako gasped at the age, and spoke quickly when he finished.

"- Are they your mother's eyes?"

Mikaru snapped his gaze over to Hanako, shifting a little before speaking.

"... Well, yeah. They were, I think. I don't... I don't really remember my birth mother, anymore. Whenever I think of my mom, I... I think of Tsukiko."

Hanako smiled sadly at him, nodding her head. She rested her hand on his arm when a waiter came up to them, smiling.

"- Hey, Guys, we're not open at night, so I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave when you're finished here, okay?"

Mikaru looked up at the man, smiling sheepishly.

"Oh, is it that late? My apologies, I lost track of time. How does this work? Do you bring a bill, or should we follow you to the counter?"

The young waiter smiled, beckoning with his hand.

"Right this way, dude. I'll ring you through."

They paid, and left, seeing that it was indeed dark out. Hanako shivered a bit, and Hisao put his arms up to his chest, rubbing it with both hands.

"Damn, this is frigid. Why is this week so cold? I wish we brought our sweaters..."

Hanako nodded, leaning into Mikaru for warmth.

"Hisao, can you call for a cab? We should go pick up our sweaters before we hit up the Circular Doom Machine."

Hisao looked over to his friend.

"- _Circular doom machine_? You mean the Ferris wheel? What's wrong with it?"

Mikaru looked down at Hanako, who was looking up at him, still shivering. He sighed, bringing one of his arms up to his eyes before speaking.

"Oh, I'm just... I'm not good with heights."

Hisao chuckled at his friend.

"You're kidding me, Mikaru. You jump out the windows all the time!"

Mikaru looked over sharply at his friend, who realized his mistake. Hanako was balking at him now.

"- You do _what_? M – Mikaru, you c – could get hurt!"

Mikaru sighed, wrapping his arm around the shivering girl and clutching her a little closer. As he did, Hisao called for the cab.

"Hanako, I don't jump right out. I only jump out of windows _into trees, _and even then, I've fallen 15 feet before and came away unscathed."

"_- But you don't have hands! What if you miss? _You could fall, a – and _break something, _Or – or..._"_

Mikaru sighed deeply, knowing he was beaten when she started tearing up, pouting at him sadly.

"... All right, Hanako. No more window hopping. I promise, okay? I mean it."

She nodded, wiping her eyes and tucking her face back into her chest.

"Th – Thank you, Mikaru..."

He smiled, watching as the cab pulled up.

"All right, let's go do this."

* * *

><p>The line had moved up considerably. Now, it was their turn to get on, and Mikaru was taking it well. When they got in the box, however, he started fidgeting and bouncing his leg; an old nervous habit. Hanako noticed this, and put her hand on his leg. He looked over, roughly shaking his head before smiling at her, giving her his arm to hold. There was one other person with them; a random girl they had met whilst in line. She was alone, so Hisao offered to take her with them. Currently, they were having a conversation about a book series they had both read, which was something of a hot topic for the both of them.<p>

"... I'm telling you, Hisao, the first was _much _better than the second!"

"No, Mai, it was just _longer. _The second was _much _more interesting. Besides, the romance between Herad and Sha'Hieel was completely unnecessary."

"What? No, it was _completely _necessary! Herad needed to learn how to love again, and Sha'Hieel was the right person to do that. In fact, Sha'Hieel was a _much better _woman that Terra _ever was._"

"- Alright, I'm going to stop you there Mai. I really don't mind Sha'Hieel as a character, and I definitely cede your point on the necessity of their relationship, but she was _not _better than Terra! Terra was his _true love! _His _best friend!_ She was there all along; Sha'Hieel just came along one day, and started trying to _bed _him."

"- OH! You're just a fan boy! _It's a girl's novel anyway!_"

"_No way! _It's a book about hot alien babes, _stabbing each other to death with their minds! _The romance is just what gives it the human element!_"_

"'_The human element?'_ What does that even _mean? _I think you read too much."

"- You don't read enough!"

"_Geezer!_"

"Tomboy!"

"_Cripple!_"

"- FEMINIST!"

...

The car shook with laughter at the sheer randomness of the moment. It soon stopped for Mikaru however, as Hanako let out a gasp. Mikaru turned his head, looking out at the scenery before him.

Hanako was looking out amazed at the view of the city lights, Her hair shining the slightest bit. Her arms were gripping the bars tightly, laughing at the sight. Her, dressed in his sweater, doing all these things and just looking so _alive _was one of the most beautiful things he had ever seen. In his mind, the scenery behind her paled in comparison.

Hanako spun around to him, smiling excitedly. She was bouncing the tiniest bit, speaking in a steady voice.

"This is so great! I've never seen anything like this before! Isn't this just the _best? Thank you!_"

She grabbed his arm, holding it tightly. Hisao and Mai were looking on happily at the two. Mai turned to Hisao, whispering to him.

"Hey, you look a little surprised or something. Does this happen often?"

Hisao looked over to the stranger, smiling.

"... No. This is the happiest I've ever seen her. Actually, now that I think about it, it's the happiest that I've seen Mikaru as well."

The girl looked over, examining the two closely before turning back.

"This almost feels wrong, you know? You wouldn't understand, but it's like I'm stepping into someone else's life. I guess I am, in a way. You're a strange bunch, you know that?"

Hisao smiled, nodding.

"- No, I completely understand. I also see where you're coming from. I guess you've been like this for a while, but those two have had it worse than most. For the longest time, I was like you, you know. I've only known him for a short while, but he's really something special. Hanako is like that too, but for him. They... they compliment each other, you know?"

The girl smiled, nodding a bit. She grabbed Hisao's hand, looking out over the scenery.

"Hisao, look over there."

Hisao looked over Mai's shoulder. There was a string of houses in the distance, and Hisao recognized it as the place where Tsukiko lived.

"... I live over there, you know. I've lived there my whole life. I've never even left this city before. When I used to talk about leaving, people called me crazy, saying that I had everything I could ever want here."

"- Do you still talk about it?"

The girl paused, her hand coming up to the bars.

"... No. After so long of having my dream shot down, I just... I just gave up, ne? Stopped trying... I still feel the same things when I see the mountains, though. What – what's it like out there? Away from here?"

Hisao paused, considering it. After a short while he stood up, walking over to the bars.

"It's... It's quiet. Peaceful. There are things out there that are even more beautiful than the city lights at night. You can see the stars perfectly out there, you know. There are places where the air is so clean, that when the sun sets, they shine and twinkle brightly enough to read by. I know this spot, up in the mountains, where a completely natural grove of cherry trees blossom right about now. They form a ring, right in the middle of the forest. You can climb one of the trees, and you can see the mist as it breaks off down the mountain. It's so different from the city, but... You learn to appreciate different things, you know? Natural beauty. You... you belong out there. You need to go see it. Even if it's just once, it's something that I would never, ever tell someone not to do."

Hisao looked back to the girl, who nodded at him.

* * *

><p>When the three friends got back, Hisao immediately took his medication and went to sleep, exhausted from the day of walking. Hanako was still fired up from the Ferris Wheel, and Mikaru was still fired up about Hanako, so they didn't go to sleep right away. Instead, Mikaru struck up a conversation with Hanako about what she planned on wearing Saturday, which inspired him to decide that Hanako, having no extra money to do much clothes shopping, should take the chance to capitalize on his generosity. This, of course, was met with the rebuttal of Hanako telling him that she would only do it if <em>he <em>got clothes as well, which they both agreed to. They would have left it at that, but when Mikaru went out speak to Hisao about the plans, he was surprised to find that he was onto his last change of clothing tomorrow, so Mikaru decided that he, too, needed clothing.

That's how, 14 hours later, the trio were lost in retail hell. Stores were everywhere, with not so much as a single discernible landmark in sight. Hanako was frightened of all the people, clinging to Mikaru's arm tightly. Mikaru was overstimulated, his razor – sharp senses being bombarded with sights, scents and sounds. Hisao was panicking, on the verge of a heart murmur. However, right when all hope seemed to be lost, a savior in the most unexpected forms came up to them, followed closely behind by Mai.

"Oh, it's you. I'm the girl from the Cafe? The first one? I felt really bad about what my friend was saying, so I left. When I went looking for you later, I couldn't find you. - Hey, are you okay, Hisao?"

Hisao was looking at the girl, a funny look on his face. She walked up to him quickly, looking into his eyes. After that, she waved her hand in front of his face a bit, his eyes following the motion. Gradually, he seemed to relax, and the girl smiled at him.

"Hi, Hisao. I'm happy I was able to find you again. I'm sorry about what happened the other day."

He looked at her a little dazed before he smiled a bit, taking deep breaths and speaking.

"Hi, cafe girl. Never did catch your name. Or I did, and I'm an ass. Either one fits, I suppose. Do you think you could help us? We are desperately lost, and our usually stoic leader is having some issues here."

She looked over to the large man, who had his stub against his forehead. He looked like he was about to blow up, his nerves being grated by the noises around him.

"Sure, I can do that. Are you sure you have all you need, though?"

Hisao smiled, looking into his hands at the bags he was laden with.

"... If this isn't enough for us, then we're lost causes."

The girls laughed, Mai stepping forward and taking one of the bags.

"Here; let me help. Favor for a favor, right?"

Hisao smiled, following the girls out. Mikaru and Hanako were following close behind, Hanako taking the lead, dragging him along with them. As the noise from the crowd of shoppers grew more quiet, Mikaru seemed to visibly inflate, until eventually he was happily walking along at Hanako's side. Eventually, they made it back to a street they recognized, and Mikaru took the bags from Hisao and Mai.

"Hey girls, thanks for that. I was losing my shit in there. Hey, why don't I treat you for dinner? I feel like half of us got off on the wrong foot, and the other half didn't get much of a dialogue going."

The girls looked between each other for a second, before nodding at him.

"- Cool. From here, the hotel isn't that far away. It's probably better if we drop these off anyhow. Have you ever seen the Embassy Suite?"

* * *

><p>The five of them divvied out the food evenly, sitting down. Right before they started eating, however, Hisao shot up, walking over to his stuff.<p>

"Damn, I almost forgot my medication. That would explain my panic attack, too..."

The two girls looked over at him, watching as he pulled out bottle after bottle of medication. After a minute, he had taken them all, and he sat back down, looking at the astonished girls with a mixture of embarrassment and acceptance.

"... that's what arrhythmia does to you. I take 17 pills daily, or else I run the risk of having a random heart attack and dying. I also have a pacemaker. The others are luckier than me, even though I look the most normal."

The girls frowned at him. Mikaru and Hanako said nothing, because they knew it was true. In the end, they could cope and even live mostly normal lives with their conditions, while Hisao was doomed to live as a prisoner to a pill.

"That sounds awful, Hisao. Surely there's something good going for you..."

Hisao smiled at the girls, speaking warmly.

"There's lots of good stuff going for me. I run almost everyday, and I have Mikaru, Hanako and my girlfriend, Lilly, as well as all my other friends. I live a pretty good life, up in Yamagata. Yamaku is a pretty great school, all things considered."

The girls looked between themselves before turning back to Hisao. Mai spoke, asking the three a question.

"Yamaku? Like, '_mountain ward'_?"

Hisao chuckled, nodding.

"Yeah. I think it's supposed to be some sort of joke or something. It's a school facility that is located in the mountains, that was specifically designed to cater to people with disabilities. There are dorms as well, and one of the major selling points is the scenic view you get to look at while you're on your two – minute car ride to the hospital."

The girls chuckled at that, Mikaru and Hanako joining in.

"He's not kidding, though. There's this cute little town there, and there are a few shrines in the mountains, too. Not much crime at all, considering that the majority of the populace is over fifty. There's one bar, and almost every single teacher drinks at it, as a group. I sneaked in there on my first night, just to look around. It was fun, really. Quiet, too. Oh, Hisao, you didn't know this, but that's the real reason why Mr. Mutou hates me. I convinced him to try and pick up one of the nursing staff, and he failed miserably, puking on her shoe in the process. I wasn't around to help him back up, either, so he's been holding a grudge ever since."

Hisao and Hanako both laughed at that, Hanako actually rolling out of her chair with mirth.

"- _He puked on her shoe? _Dude, why haven't I ever heard of this until now?"

Mikaru chuckled, taking a bite of his food before he spoke.

"- Because, she fled. Like, _bolted. _Skipped town. He was crushed."

Hisao chuckled a bit, his laughter ending as Hanako got back into her chair, giggling a little.

"Mutou is a teacher, then?"

Mikaru looked over at the other girl, nodding.

"Yeah, he's our homeroom teacher. We see him for most of the day. Well, Hisao does. Me and Hanako work in the library."

"Really? Why's that?"

The rest of the evening went on like that, talking happily to the two girls before they eventually had to leave. After that, Hisao crashed on the couch and Mikaru and Hanako went into their room, closing and locking the door.

"So Hanako, one more day and then we're back in the mountains again."

She smiled at him, walking over to the window and looking through it.

"Yeah... I miss it, actually. The quiet, the calm... I miss Lilly, too..."

Mikaru walked up behind her, putting his stub on the window sill and using his arm and half of his body to shield her from behind, looking out as well. Cars were driving in the distance, illuminating the roadway with a faint yellow glow.

"Me too, Hanako. I miss my workouts the most out, though. I don't think I could make it in the city anymore."

Hanako spun quickly to him, putting her hands on his chest.

"I don't... want you, to lose your muscles..."

He grinned at her, wrapping his arms around her.

"You like them?"

She looked up at him, biting her lip a little before nodding at him. He grinned at her then, surprising her by picking her up and setting her against the windowsill, facing him. He pinned her body there, kissing her deeply.

"... You wanna help be keep in shape then, Hanako?"

She grinned at his suggestion, kissing him back. It was a long night for the both of them.

* * *

><p>End of Chapter Twenty - Nine!<p>

Next time! Chapter Thirty: Behind These Bars, Moving On!


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter Thirty: Behind These Bars, Moving On!**

* * *

><p>The next day came and went quickly, the dinner being mostly uneventful now that the big stuff was out of the way. After some time the next day, the three were back on the train, heading towards Yamaku and the town that they had been away from.<p>

When they got back, they all had lots to do. After unpacking, Hanako decided that she wanted to hang out with Carla for a while, which Mikaru was more than happy about. Since that left Hisao and Mikaru with basically nothing to do, they decided to head down to the track and get some exercise. They were surprised, however, to find that there was already a meet taking place.

Ibarazaki Emi was _leagues _ahead of the other racers, them having no way to cope with her new-found speed. It was with a grin that Mikaru noticed that she had all but perfected her new method of running, and truly living up to the moniker of 'Fastest Thing on No Legs'.

Mikaru and Hisao decided to take up some space beside a woman with brown hair and a nice figure, who was cheering Emi on wildly. Hisao was busy watching Emi race, but unlike him, Mikaru was glancing between the woman and the girl, making a mental connection.

"... Hey there. You're Mrs. Ibarazaki, right?"

The woman looked over to Mikaru when Emi completed her latest event, examining him closely. After a moment, she gave him a soft smile and nodded.

"You would be correct, young man. Are you friends with my daughter?"

Mikaru smiled, nodding his head.

"Yes, mam. My name's Mikaru. It's a pleasure to meet you."

He extended his stub to her. She sighed, looking at him for a moment before shaking it nonplussed.

"Ah. You're the boy that Emi was so excited about. She told me you were going to be away today..."

Mikaru blushed, nodding his head.

"I'm, uh... I'm sorry if it's an inconvenience for you, Mrs. Ibarazaki. I got back early, and decided that I should head down to the track today instead of just lounging about."

She grinned, shaking her head and letting out a matronly giggle.

"My, such manners! It's no problem at all. I was hoping I would get the chance to speak with you, actually. It's a pleasant surprise - Oh, hold on a moment. My phone's ringing."

She pulled out her cellphone, flipping it open and raising it to her ear.

"Ibarazaki speaking. Oh, why hello there!"

She then proceeded to get into a long conversation while her daughter lined herself up for the 400-metre race. She was bent low, her legs coiling in anticipation. Mikaru thought that if she had toes, they would surely be curling right now.

The revolver was raised into the air, poised in place. The audience (Minus Mrs. Ibarazaki) held their breath in anticipation. After an impossibly long two seconds, the blank was fired into the air, and the runners were off. Emi was like a shot out of hell, quickly breaking out into the front of the pack before she tucked her knees in, taking the corner faster than he had ever seen her in the past. He was certain that if they had a chance to race now, that Emi would surely win, hands-down.

The race after that went on pretty much as you would expect, with Emi taking a major lead on her competitors. When it came time to cross the finish line however, she faltered, and it was noticeable even to Hisao. It was about that time that Mrs. Ibarazaki got off of the phone, pulling it closed before she turned back to the field, seeing the racers all clustered together after their sprint.

"Mikaru, dear? Did you happen to see who won?"

He looked over to the kind woman, raising his eyebrow sceptically before laughing at her words, his arms on his knees.

"Ha! You're kidding, right? Emi, of course. It wasn't close, either."

The woman smiled, crossing her arms.

"You seem awfully impressed, Mikaru."

He looked up at the woman, his laughter fading a little. Even though the comment was pointed, he wasn't perturbed by it.

"... Well I should be, Mam. I helped her get faster recently, with a bit of extracurricular coaching."

The woman raised her brow, frowning a little.

"... Is that so? I wasn't aware that you were a runner."

He shook his head, smiling.

"- I'm just a math geek, mam. Although, I'm an athlete as well. No, I ran some numbers a while back, and developed a new system for her to use when she was on her straights. She's at least four seconds faster now, thanks to my help. However, I have _nothing _to do with that trick she used on the corner. _That _was _all her doing. _It's a nice one, too. That's how I nearly got her, once. On the corners, I mean."

The woman stared at him for a moment before smiling a bit, shaking her head and closing her eyes.

"I swear, that girl... she always leaves out the fun bits! She just told me you were smart. She _never _said that you nearly beat her in a race. That's almost unthinkable."

Mikaru chuckled, stretching a bit to show off subtly.

"Well, it wasn't _really _a fluke, Mam. I'm in peak form, after all."

She looked him over, raising her eyebrow at him quizzically.

"... I see. What _exactly _do you_ do, _then? You don't get a physique like that from running..."

He smiled, looking out at the track again.

"I'm an accomplished martial artist, mam. I've been practicing for almost eight years now. Plenty of experience. I'm a world record holder, too."

Just then, the award ceremony started. Well, _Emi's _award ceremony started. Seeing as she participated in nearly every single event, and she had gotten gold in all but two of them (One being Javelin Throwing, the other a relay race in which there was no singular winner) she had a lot to answer for. The crowd stepped off of the bleachers, watching as the athletes got their awards. Ribbons, all of different colors, but Emi was wearing a _lot _of blue.

As she was receiving her awards, she noticed her mother in the crowd, standing beside a very noticeable, _very unexpected _Mikaru. She figured that Hisao was on his other side, but she couldn't see him. When she was finished getting her awards, she quickly made her way over to the trio, standing in front of them a little baffled.

"H-hey, Mikaru! I wasn't expecting you here today. You made it back early?"

Mikaru chuckled, passing her the sweater he had given her. She took it in her hands, drinking some water and toweling down before sliding it on.

"Heh... You Ibarazaki ladies sure know how to make a guy feel welcome..."

She frowned, punching him on the arm for his comment. After that, though, she turned to her mother, smiling a little sheepishly.

"Uh... Hi, Mom. You met Mikaru, then?"

She nodded, smiling at her daughter.

"I did. He seems like a nice young man, Emi."

She gave her daughter a look that Mikaru didn't recognize, but it made Emi blush a little.

"Hehehe... So, Mikaru, did you see me today?"

Mikaru shook his head of his thoughts, nodding with a grin.

"You chewed up those corners today, Emi; That was a nice move you learned. It sure beats flying into the ditch at 39 clicks, that's for sure..."

She laughed at his words, nodding.

"Thanks, Mikaru. I was practising a lot while you three were in Tokyo. How was that, by the way? You never really told me why you were going... or that you were going at all, in fact."

Mikaru frowned, looking at the ground pensively.

"Did I forget? God, I'm such a moron sometimes. I... I went to see my mother. Hisao and Hanako came as support."

She looked at him quickly, her eyes popping a bit at the news.

"Y-you went to... to see your mom? I thought you said that..."

Emi noticed her own mother then, looking between the two of them uncomfortably.

"Is this... is this a bad time? I could give you two some space, if you wanted..."

Emi looked down, her face unreadable.

"N-no, It's... it's fine. Come on, mom. Let's go out for a while."

Mrs. Ibarazaki extended her arm to her daughter, looking at Mikaru strangely before leading her away. As the crowd of people dissipated, Hisao and Mikaru remained, Mikaru rooting them in place on the field. When they were the only two people left, Hisao walked up to his friend, crossing his arms.

"Was it just me, or did Emi seem _completely _not okay with this?"

Mikaru looked up at Hisao for the first time, looking at him with a flat face.

"... I know. I just... Fuck, man. I swear, these girls are going to be the death of me. What was I supposed to say? '_Hey, Emi, I'm taking Hisao and Hanako to Tokyo for the week, where we're going to do all the things that you wanted to do with me, but without you. I'll be sure to forget to send you a postcard, while I'm at it._'"

Hisao sighed, sitting on the grass. Mikaru followed right after him, looking out over the trees.

"... Well, I guess it's to be expected. I bet it hasn't even _hit her _yet, that bit about you and Hanako. _Of course _she isn't over you, dude. You really screwed up with her, and then you fixed it and ended it at the same time. That was _by far _the strangest break-up I've ever seen, by the way. _No doubt _the same applies for her, except she was _in it_."

Mikaru made a frustrated noise, somewhere between a groan and a grunt, and fell backwards to lie down on the grass.

"I know, man. I'm realizing now that that whole situation could have been handled better. Hindsight is 20/20, after all. I really wish that I could have at least spoken with her before this mess with her mother happened, though."

Hisao turned to Mikaru, nodding.

"There is _definitely _something going on there. Her mother seemed to be expecting someone entirely different out of you. What do you think is going to happen now?"

Mikaru shook his head, looking out to the scenery without a word.

* * *

><p>Hanako was sitting with Carla, staring intently at the sheet music. Her mouth made little motions as she studied it, and she exhaled a little every time she did. Carla thought it was cute, but she'd been sitting there for five minutes, and Carla was getting impatient.<p>

"So, Hanako. Do you get it now?"

Hanako looked over to her friend, blushing a bit but nodding. She straightened herself up, resting her hands on the keyboard they were sitting in front of. Taking a deep breath, she looked at the sheet music for a moment before her fingers started moving, slowly playing the desired notes. She made it 2 bars before she stopped, frowning a bit before looking back at Carla.

"Can you do it again, Carla?"

Carla nodded, scooting her out of the way a bit before she stretched her hands out, resting them on the keys. She took a moment before she adopted the same pace as Hanako, running through the opening again. When she got to the part that Hanako stuttered at, she slowed down even more, speaking as her hands moved.

"... You see how my index finger and thumb on my right hand starts that part? You press those two keys there, and then you let your left hand walk down a bit while your right gets into position. I'll do it at practice speed, then full, and then you can give it another try, ok?"

Hanako looked up from her hands, nodding. Carla cracked her fingers, going again though the introductory arpeggio. After she finished the section, she stopped, moving back into position and starting again. This time, her hands were moving at full speed, running the relatively short section before stopping entirely. After she was finished, she moved over on the bench, allowing Hanako to take the primary position again.

Hanako slid into place, looking over the music before taking a deep breath again, letting out a huff and starting. This time, however, she was going through the intro at full-speed, and she didn't miss a note. When she reached the part where the section they were drilling broke off, she wiggled her shoulders a bit, continuing on anyhow. Carla was smiling widely at her friend, gasping a bit at the display of talent and determination. She stumbled a bit, though, and her entire body slumped as she stopped mid-phrase.

Carla clapped for Hanako, getting a look of surprise from the crestfallen girl.

"That was great, Hanako! You absolutely nailed the intonation there. Good job on pushing through, too. We haven't even gone over the part where you stopped yet, so this is _better _than great. I'm really impressed."

Hanako grinned at her friend's praise, blushing a bit.

"Th-Thank you, Carla..."

Carla smiled, looking at the place where Hanako messed up in the sheet music.

"... Here. Right there is where you messed up. Going into it, you were a little mixed up on your left and right hand movements, so you weren't in the right place when you needed to be. I'll show you how I would position myself for playing that part. First..."

After a couple more hours of that, Hanako had managed a slow playthrough of the entire song, making Carla extremely happy. Deciding that they were finished, Carla ordered a pizza to celebrate. So, it was an hour later, and Hanako and Carla were both nibbling on the pizza, making some conversation.

"So, Hanako? How was Tokyo?"

Hanako looked over at Carla, swallowing her bite before smiling softly and saying "It was pretty good, Carla. Do you... do you want to hear more?"

Carla eagerly nodded, opening a drink and taking a sip before leaning in a bit to listen.

"Well, we took the bullet train out, fairly early in the morning. When we arrived, we went to our hotel, settling into the suite..."

* * *

><p>"Emi? What's the matter, dear?"<p>

Emi was sitting with her mom at the Shanghai, barely eating her food as she looked out the window. When she heard her mother's voice, she turned back to her, frowning sadly.

"Well... it's... it's complicated..."

Mrs. Ibarazaki frowned, leaning closer to her daughter and taking her hand.

"... Emi... you _know _you can talk to me about these things, right?"

Emi pulled her hand away, bringing it to her head and leaning on her elbows.

"I... I lost him..."

Mrs. Ibarazaki gasped a little, her hands coming to rest in front of her as she waited for Emi to continue.

"He's... he's such a great guy, mom. He respects me. He's funny. He's charming, sweet, smart... he's perfect... but I still lost him. What's more, I don't even know _why! _He decided that he was going to try doing music again, and after he tried, he locked himself in his room for a week. Apparently he didn't eat, or sleep, and -"

Emi's mom grabbed her hand, getting her attention.

"'Apparently'? You mean, you didn't _go to him?_"

Emi stared at her mom, her jaw working a bit before she slumped her shoulders, shaking her head.

"N-No, I... I didn't. I figured that he didn't want to see me, and he didn't try to find me, so..."

Her mom crossed her arms, raising her brow at her daughter.

"... Do you know if he tried to find _anyone,_ Emi?"

Emi looked up quickly at her, the idea being completely new to her.

"I... I don't know. When he was doing that, he had this girl named Carla Simpson from the music room in with him. Apart from that... I don't think he left until he came to the track a week later."

Emi's mom sighed, resting her arms on the table once more. Sometimes, her daughter had a lot to learn...

"... So? It seems obvious to me. From what you've told me about him, and what you just described, it seems like he decided that he wanted to try music again, but couldn't on account of his missing hands. So, afterwards, he spoke with Carla, whom was probably there when he started, and asked her if she could help him do something else that was music-related. If I had to guess, it would probably be writing music. Do you know much about his history with music?"

Emi thought about it for a short while before speaking.

"Well... I know that he did _a lot _with it, like, more than he told me he did. I heard something about him being famous, too, except he went by a different name then. I already told you he was from Canada, and that's where he was famous, or so I'm told."

Mrs. Ibarazaki thought hard for a moment, before her eyes widened a little, shaking her head at her daughter.

"Oh my... Emi, he wasn't just famous in Canada. His name was Michael Souta, and there were talks of him being a musical genius; a modern-day Tchaikovsky, or Bach even. He was praised as the greatest musical mind of his generation, or even this entire century. I'm certain that he was composing again. However, even that is aside from the point. You didn't try to find him while he was in there. When he came out, how were you to him?"

Emi sunk down, laying her head in her arms.

"I was... I was awful to him, Mom. He broke up with me then, saying that neither of us were ready at the time."

Mrs. Ibarazaki grabbed her daughter's arms, rubbing them with her thumbs.

"... I'm sorry, honey."

Emi looked up at her mother then, her eyes going red.

"You know what the worst of it is, though? I wasn't even going to break up with him! I knew that, if we talked it out like we always do, then we could move past that, but... but..."

She sunk her gaze a bit, staring at the centre of the table.

"... But he sounded like he was going to do it anyway. It just-it doesn't make sense! Things were going great! We were happy! After that, though... I don't even know what happened to us..."

Mrs. Ibarazaki reached out to her daughter, grabbing her before speaking softly.

"Emi, did you tell him any of this? Did you tell _anyone?_ This isn't healthy, Emi. I bet, that if you tried talking to him about it, that he would listen to you. Either way, though, you deserve some answers."

Emi looked up at her mom, rubbing her eyes a bit before smiling a little.

"You... you think so? He'll... he'll listen to me?"

Mrs. Ibarazaki nodded at her daughter, letting go and taking a sip of her now-cold tea.

"... I know it, Emi. You just need to make an effort, and he'd be a idiot not to."

Emi nodded to her mother, standing up.

"Can... can you take me back now? I need to go talk to him."

Emi's mom nodded, standing up.

* * *

><p>Hisao and Mikaru were just finishing their own run, walking around the track while talking.<p>

"Hey, Hisao? Have you thought about where you stand with Lilly?"

Hisao looked over to his friend, walking forward a bit before spinning around, now walking backwards.

"What do you mean? Like, are you asking me if I'm going to break up with her?"

Mikaru nodded his head, pausing for a moment before shaking it, speaking then.

"... The whole bit. _Are you going to break up with her?_"

Hisao shook his head, making Mikaru relax a bit.

"- Of course not, Mikaru. I've had some time to think about it, and I realized how right you were about her and her feelings. I'd be an idiot to give this up, over something as silly as that. No, I was more thinking about what _exactly _I'm going to say to her. And when, for that matter. I still have her number, as well as the other number she gave me, so I could talk to her just about whenever I wanted, but..."

Mikaru nodded, seeing Hisao stumble a bit before he jogged past him, deciding that he would be the one to walk backwards. It was with great annoyance that Hisao noted that he was _amazing _at it, keeping perfectly at the centre of the inside lane.

"I guess it's a matter of figuring out what you need to say to her, and deciding whether it's the kind of thing you can say over the phone, right? For the record, I definitely think that you should call her anyway, especially if you are intent on keeping her around. She needs to know that you are thinking about her, and I think she's got a lot on her mind with you as well."

Hisao nodded, pulling to a stop.

"I'll do that now, then. You wait for me at the dorms, okay? I'll be along in a bit."

Mikaru nodded, turning and walking towards the buildings. When he was gone, Hisao took a seat by the bleachers, pulling out his phone and a piece of paper he had handy. Looking between the paper and the phone, he slowly dialled the strange, long number before he hit call, bringing the phone to his ear. It rang a couple times before a woman picked up, speaking unintelligibly.

"_'Hello, this is the Satou residence.'"_

Hisao stammered a bit before speaking.

"Uh... Hello, there. Is this Mrs. Satou?"

There was a chortle on the other end of the line, and the woman switched to Japanese.

"_Oh, why hello there, young man. Are you Nakai Hisao, by any chance?"_

Hisao smiled, barely able to understand her heavily accented Japanese.

"Yes, mam. Is, uh... is Lilly available?"

The woman laughed, walking around a bit before some unintelligible mumbling could be heard, and the phone shuffled around a bit. After a moment, Lilly spoke into the phone.

"_Hisao?"_

Hisao smiled at her hopeful tone, laughing a bit before answering her.

"Yes, Lilly, it's me. How was the trip?"

Lilly was quiet for a moment, eventually speaking in a happy tone.

"_It was... it was long, Hisao. How was Tokyo?_"

Hisao sat down on a bleacher, leaning back a bit as he spoke.

"It was... interesting. Eventful? Heh, there was _a lot _of stuff going on there. We met Mikaru's mother when we went down. She was really nice. Met a few other people, too. Mikaru changed his name. He's officially a _Souta_, again. Oh, and Hanako almost got in a fight."

The phone dropped at the last bit, leaving Hisao hanging for a moment before Lilly came back on the line, sputtering.

"_W-What? You're kidding, right? Hisao, that isn't funny..."_

Hisao chuckled a bit, speaking hastily.

"I'm totally not, Lilly. We were planning out a fun day together when a couple of girls came over, trying to flirt with us. Well, it was just Mikaru at first, but they turned to me when Hanako sat on his lap."

Lilly didn't speak for a minute, digesting the information.

"_... Is that so?"_

Hisao wasn't a fan of her tone, so he moved quickly to put her at ease.

"Hey, don't get carried away, Lilly. One of them was smarter than the other, and left after I told her that I was already taken. The other one got told off by Hanako, _rather impressively, I might add,_ and fled the scene terrified."

Lilly took some time to process that. There was the sound of shifting clothing on the other end of the line and then Lilly spoke again.

"_... She didn't get hurt, though?"_

"- No, not even _close. _In fact, she looked like _she _was the one going to do the hurting."

Lilly paused briefly, sighing deeply before speaking quietly.

"_And you... and you said... you were taken?"_

Hisao chuckled, speaking softly to her.

"Well, no. I told them that I had a girlfriend. There's a difference, I think."

When Lilly next spoke, her voice sounded full of a wide variety of emotions.

"_That's... Hisao... I..."_

Hisao chuckled, noting that they had already been on the phone for fifteen minutes.

"Hey, it's ok, Lilly. I promised, right? I'm not going anywhere. I... I miss you, by the way..."

Lilly spoke back quickly, sounding really happy.

"_I... I miss you too, Hisao... You're... you're going to be there, when I get back?_"

Hisao nodded, even though it served little purpose.

"Of course, Lilly. _I promised. _Hey, I... I gotta go now. I'll call you in a few days, though, okay? I hope your relative is okay."

Lilly made a little noise on the other end of the line, speaking even more quiet than before.

"_... It's my Great Aunt, Hisao. And... I would... I would love that. I'll... I'll talk to you later, okay?_"

Hisao grinned at her words, sighing happily.

"I'm counting the minutes, Lilly. Goodbye."

"_... Goodbye, Hi... Hisao..."_

Lilly hung up after she finished, leaving Hisao sitting on the bench to think about her. It was true. It had only been a week, but he missed her _terribly, _and hearing her voice felt better than he'd even imagined. While he wasn't too happy at the somber tone the conversation had taken, he was happy that Lilly was still open to him, at least. In fact, her remark about her Great Aunt was something of an open apology to him; an invitation in to her life. She hadn't told the others who exactly was sick, and her telling him was probably a move to try and reconcile with him.

_Lilly... when I figure out what you need to hear, I swear I will tell you, whatever it is. _

* * *

><p>Mikaru was sitting in his room, working on his computer when he heard a soft knock on the door, in an unrecognizable pattern. Frowning a little, he stood up, clearing his face and opening the door.<p>

"Hello?"

He was a little surprised to see Emi there, looking down at the ground, but he didn't show it. When she registered that he had spoken, she looked up to him, bringing her hands to her elbows and rubbing them a little.

"Can I... can I talk to you? It's... it's important..."

Mikaru nodded to her, stepping aside to let her in. When she was inside, he closed the door, locking it before he walked over to his computer, closing the lid. After that, he walked over to his couch, sitting down on the other end from Emi.

"What's on your mind, Emi? Is there something wrong?"

She smiled at him, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. The face made him very concerned, if only because it could only mean trouble and drama for him.

"I... I think that... I..."

She sighed, her body becoming rigid before she looked over to him determinedly, squaring her shoulders and speaking strongly.

"I want answers, Mikaru. No, I _need _answers. _Just what_ _happened to us? _What happened to _you?_"

Mikaru sighed, putting his elbows onto his knees and resting his stubs against one another.

"... Okay, Emi. For starters, that night after I left you to go back to my dorms, I heard a song that I had written when I was a kid, and it brought me to a bad place. Mikki was listening to it for her music class, and explained that they were doing it for a performance. After the conversation got weird, she closed the door, and I stormed off. Hisao caught up with me, giving me a pep-talk about sitting back while I let my gift get away from me, and he was right. So, I placed a couple calls, got some paperwork in order, then resolved to talk with her about letting me sit in on the performance. The next day, after I had gone through my morning classes, she brought me down to the music room, and she showed me that I could still play music with percussion. After that..."

He stopped for a minute, his eyes closing tightly. Emi was watching him, feeling the atmosphere grow tense. She guessed that whatever he was going to say next was going to _hurt, _but she didn't know if it was going to hurt _him_ more, or _herself._

"... After that, Carla walked in, although I knew her differently at the time. You see, before we started dating, I had been thinking on the roof, and had run into her afterwards. She left quite the impression on me, and... seeing her again brought those memories back."

Emi frowned, her hand coming absently to her chest. _So he was in love with Carla, then?_

"We didn't get much time to talk though, because the class was starting. So, they started my piece, and I... well, I remembered it all. Every little nuance, and... I heard all the mistakes they were making, and I lost my shit. Started telling the teacher off, told the class who I was, that they were playing my song, and I invited them all onto the roof to hear my thoughts on their performances. Pretty much everyone came, Carla included, but... before that, I was on the roof for a couple minutes, and... well, Hanako was waiting for me."

Emi's frown faded away, her eyes opening a little. Her hand came down from her chest. Instead, they crossed in front of her, mimicking Mikaru's posture. _Hanako? Why is that important?_

"She told me that she had been waiting for me, because... well, because she thought that I would have wanted to talk to her. After that, though... well... _there's more to it than that..._"

Emi didn't miss the way his voice changed._ Where is he going with this...?_

"... That first time I was on the roof, I had been thinking about... well, about you, and... I was thinking about Hanako, as well."

He didn't see the way her eyes widened at his admission, and he didn't notice the way her breath hitched in her throat.

"I had been thinking about you both, trying to decide... which of you was right for me. I decided that... that Hanako, was... was the one, who..."

She felt his words cut into her chest like a knife. It was all starting to come together in her head, now.

"- And when I saw Carla again, it made me remember my decision, and... I panicked. When Hanako was waiting for me on the roof, talking about how I was – was being brave, even though it wasn't for her anymore, it made it worse. I snapped, yelling at her, and then she left. So when the others came up, I told them what I thought, and then it was just me and Carla. I wasn't ready to face anyone, so I asked her to help me write music again, and she agreed. I locked myself away, then, meditating on my life and decisions I had made."

Emi had tears in her eyes now, as she ran over the information in her head. _He made a mistake when he... he started dating me. Because he belonged with Hanako, not me. HANAKO, NOT ME. He didn't even realize it until the day he was going to try doing music again, so when it hit him, along with the whole idea of doing music again, it was too much to handle. He locked himself away, then, so he could... so he could..._

"I was mean to Carla. I treated her like shit, because I felt like shit myself. After a while, though, when I realized that I was losing my friends because of it, I stopped, and then we started getting along. A week later, I couldn't take it anymore, so I left, found Hisao, and tried to go to you. So I could try and work this out with you, apologize for pulling away, and try to make it work. When you ignored me, though, and when you said what you did... I realized how much I had hurt you, and it made me think. I realized then that I could never really give you what you needed, because... because I had fallen for Hanako. I'm... I'm really sorry you had to find out like this, but..."

Emi couldn't believe what she had heard. _Even after he had realized what he did, he was... he was going to stay with me, but... I ruined it. I ruined it! I never wanted this!_

"You – _you were going to stay?_"

He looked over to her for the first time, seeing how much his words had affected her. He was speechless, staring at the girl as she clutched herself, crying.

"I – I – I didn't know... I didn't know what I was doing, when... when..."

Mikaru looked at the ground then, his eyes still wide. When she felt her hand come to his arm, though, he flinched, standing quickly and turning to her.

"What are you doing?"

She looked up at him, her jaw trembling. After she stared at him for a few seconds, she turned her head away, scrunching her eyes closed.

"I – I don't – I thought..."

The two didn't say anything more for a few minutes, looking away into their respective corners of the room. When the silence became too much, Emi got up abruptly, turning to the door.

"_I – I should never have come here..._"

She grabbed the handle, opening the door swiftly before running out, leaving him flabbergasted in the middle of the room. After the door clicked closed, he stumbled back a little, the full gravity of the impending _shit storm _hitting him all at once.

"... Fuck. Oh Fuck. _Oh, Fuck. _I have to – I have to talk to Hanako. Now."

He pulled out his phone, setting it on the table before noticing it was dead, making him panic a bit.

"Shit! SHIT!"

He stumbled a little, reaching for his wall and grabbing the charger that laid there. He tried using his stub to grab the cord, but the whole charger fell out of the wall, moving behind his bed and out of reach. Exasperated, he kicked his night table violently, screaming.

"Oh, GOD _FUCKING_ DAMMIT!"

The lamp fell off of the table, breaking when it hit the ground. Seeing that it wasn't about to catch fire, he fell back, lying down on his bed and putting his arms up to his face.

"I'm useless... _so fucking useless..._"

Just then, Hisao came bursting into his room, seeing the mess and his friend, looking distraught on his bed. He stood there for a moment, listening to his friend repeat the damning words over and over until he snapped out of his haze, walking over to his friend, pulling him up and looking at him.

"Mikaru? Hey, listen to me, man..."

Mikaru was looking off into the distance, now completely quiet. Hisao took the chance to look around the room, taking in as much information as he could before piecing together his thoughts and speaking.

"You're _not_ useless, okay? Don't tell that to yourself. You do _loads _of stuff; you're super helpful, you're smart as all hell, and you are _certainly _capable of getting through whatever is bothering you. Come on, man. What's the matter? How can I help you?"

Mikaru looked over at his friend, feeling even worse for how worried he was. Mikaru scoffed, turning away from him.

"... I want to believe you, Hisao. _I really do._ I just – Why aren't I sure about anything anymore? Life used to be so easy, so – so much... _less stressful_ in prison. Now, it seems like whenever I open my mouth, I unleash some new and terrible horror upon the world, and... it feels like I'm drowning."

Hisao frowned, speaking immediately.

"- So, what? It was a mistake, trying to become our friend? It was _a mistake, _trying to live your life again, instead of just staying in prison where the worst of the world was already upon you, and you could just sit back and be complacent? You and I _both _know that's bullshit, Mikaru. Look at you. Look at _us._"

He gestured to the room, and Mikaru looked over to him.

"You made this happen for yourself, not for somebody else. You've got a lot, here. More than you realize. You've got me, for starters. I'm here, sticking this through with you instead of hiding away like it would be easier to. You've got other friends, too, and then you've got Hanako – Hanako, an amazing girl who treats you like you're a prince among men, and adores you with everything she has. You've got a great job, where you get to help people every single day, _and _live in comfort, all from your room. You've got one of the greatest talents for music the world has ever seen, and you've even got a family, who loves and embraces what you are and what living with you means for them. So what, if life throws you a few curve-balls here and there. _So what _if the monsters come knocking at your door, trying to take it away. In the end, you have it pretty good; better than most do."

Mikaru nodded at his friend's words, sighing and laying back. Hisao laid back as well, staring at the ceiling.

"... Emi came by a while ago. She wanted to know why I broke up with her. She wasn't ready for it, obviously. I had to tell her everything, including the fact that I was willing to make it work between us. She tried to get me back, Hisao. I turned her away, but she stormed off crying. I was trying to get Hanako over here, so I could explain all of this before it came around to bite me, but then my phone was dead. I tried to grab the charger, but I fumbled it behind the bed, and -"

Hisao cut him off before he could finish, hearing his voice growing angrier with each word.

"- It's just an off-day, Mikaru. It's nothing, really. Look:"

Hisao stood up, bending over and picking up the broken lamp. He set it on the table, then turned back to the bed, leaning over and grabbing the charger. He plugged it back in, pulling the cable up before plugging his phone in, straightening up the disheveled nightstand before turning back, pulling out his own cellphone.

"- All better, see? It's not the end of the world. Here, I'll call her over for you."

He pulled the number up swiftly, hitting call before putting it on speaker. After three rings, Hanako picked up, giggling a little before speaking.

"_... Hello, Hisao?"_

Mikaru perked up at her happy-sounding voice, and Hisao spoke.

"Hey, Hanako. Mikaru is having a shit day, and needs to talk to you. Can you please come over to his dorm?"

Hanako paused for a moment, before speaking.

"_S-Sure, Hisao. Is – Is everything okay?"_

Hisao looked over to his friend, thinking for a moment before talking.

"... It should be, when you get here. I'm going to go now, okay? Thanks Hanako."

Hisao hung up, turning to the door.

"You got this, Mikaru?"

Mikaru nodded a little, hugging himself.

"Y-Yeah, Hisao, I... Thanks..."

Hisao smiled, walking through the door. Six minutes later, Hanako came in, walking over to him and sitting beside him. She wrapped her arms around him, kneeling beside him on the bed and kissing him softly on the cheek.

"Hello, Mikaru... Is something the matter?"

He looked over to Hanako, sighing before he pulled one of his arms out, putting it around her and resting his forehead on her chest.

"... Yeah. Emi came over a little while ago, wanting to get back together with me."

Hanako stiffened a bit, using her hand to raise his eyes to hers. She looked at him seriously for a moment before she spoke.

"What did you... what did you do?"

Mikaru put his stub on her wrist, looking at them as he spoke.

"I... I turned her down, Hanako. That wasn't really the issue. The issue was that she asked me for answers, and I gave them to her. She didn't like what she heard, and stormed off crying. I wanted to tell you, before you heard it from someone else and thought -"

She silenced him with a slow kiss on the lips, looking into his eyes as she pulled away.

"... It's ok, Mikaru. I... I would have listened to you, either way. Thank you though, for... for telling me when you did. It means a lot to me, to know that... that you care so much."

He nodded at her words, smiling the tiniest bit.

"Did I... did I pull you away from something important? I know you wanted to hang out with Carla today, and..."

She giggled softly, shaking her head.

"- We've been hanging out _all day_, Mikaru. Besides, when... when I needed you, you... you dropped everything and ran to me, too. It's... it's nothing..."

Mikaru fully smiled at her words, pulling her closer to him. She happily obliged him, tucking herself up into his lap and resting her forehead against his. After a short while of just sitting like that, though, Hanako heard her phone ring. She pulled away, bringing it to her ear before speaking.

"Ikezawa Hanako, s-speaking..."

There was a voice on the other end, which made her smile a bit.

"- Oh, hello Ms. Yukimura... I'm good, thank you..."

Mikaru raised his brow at the girl, but didn't say anything.

"How did you know that I have a phone, now?"

Mikaru frowned at her words, but she didn't seem distressed, so he let it slide. After a moment, though, Hanako looked over to him, smiling a little.

"- Really? That's a huge coincidence..."

Mikaru shook his head, chuckling a little. After a moment, though, she went somber.

"... well, I-if you aren't too – too busy, I suppose..."

The voice on the other end of the line got louder, and it sounded excited.

"O-ok, Ms. Yukimura... I... I will. Thank you. Good... goodbye..."

She hung up then, looking at Mikaru a little expectantly.

"Uh... Hanako?"

She frowned, speaking.

"I thought you heard our conversation..."

He grinned sheepishly, shaking his head.

"No, I didn't actually. Your phone is too quiet for that. What's up?"

Hanako wiped her frown off of her face, shifting a bit so she could look out the window.

"The... the lady from my... my orphanage is coming up to see me. She... she was the one who spent the most time with me when I first... when I first got in. She heard from Tsukiko's boyfriend, Nanami, that I was doing well, and she decided to track me down."

Mikaru looked down at her, seeing her pensive gaze as it looked out into the dimming sky.

"Is... is that a problem?"

She turned her head up to his, shaking it.

"N-No, not... not really. It's just... she's coming down for... for my 19th birthday next week, and..."

Mikaru looked at her, watching her as she gathered her thoughts. She looked away from him then, pulling his arms up to her chest to hug her tighter.

"I... I don't... like, my birthday... It... it makes me... makes me..."

Mikaru adjusted her to look at him, raising his stub to hold her gaze.

"... Does she know that?"

Hanako shook her head slowly, making Mikaru huff a bit.

"- Ah. I see, now. Well, what do you want to do for your birthday? You want to go somewhere? Maybe you want to just stay back here? We could do whatever you want, really. Heck, I could even go somewhere else, if -"

She shook her head swiftly, stopping him.

"N-No! No... I... I _want you, _to... to be there, but... maybe just... just us? We could... we could go into – into town? Pretend like... like it isn't my birthday?"

Mikaru smiled, shaking his head and chuckling.

"... let me get this straight. On your birthday, which is in the middle of the week, you want to play hooky, go somewhere quiet, and pretend like we're there because it's _not _your birthday?"

She blushed, looking down.

"I... I guess it sounds stupid..."

Mikaru chuckled, lifting her face to his and kissing her swiftly. It was only a peck, but when he pulled away, he could tell that his presence lingered.

"It's not stupid. _Just highly illogical. _Oh, well. If my totally amazing, totally _not-having-her-birthday-soon _girlfriend wants to have a _not-birthday_ party she'll _never _remember, then who am I to argue, so long as she wants to do it with _me?_"

Hanako laughed softly at his words, leaning down and putting her head on his chest.

"Th-Thank you, Mikaru..."

Mikaru chuckled, continuing on.

"... Well, You're totally _not _welcome, _not - _Hanako."

She giggled at his words, slapping his arm playfully.

"Mikaru..."

He pulled her up, setting her on her feet before stretching a bit, looking out the window.

"Gosh, it looks beautiful out there. You want to go for a walk again? Like we did the other day?"

He turned back to her. When he did, she smiled, nodding her head.

"Sure, Mikaru. That sounds... that sounds great."

He beamed at her, grabbing some things before he put his shoes on, picking a sweater before sliding it on, turning to Hanako. Hanako put her hand onto his sleeve, using him as support while she put her overly-stubborn shoe on before opening his door, wrapping her arm around him.

"... Let's go, Mikaru..."

* * *

><p>Hisao was currently walking about in the town when he noticed Emi, sitting by herself in the park. Frowning, he hopped over the fence, walking her way. When he got close, he sat down, speaking to her.<p>

"Hey, Emi. What are you up to?"

Emi looked up at Hisao, laughing bitterly.

"Me? Oh, I'm just sitting here. Alone."

Hisao frowned at her tone, looking up at the trees.

"This is a nice spot, Emi. It's really nice here."

Emi looked over at him sideways huffing a little.

"... You seem pretty down about all this, Emi."

Emi looked down again, hugging her knees to her chest.

"Was I supposed to take this differently? I..."

She tucked into herself, looking at the ground.

"... _I love him. _But he's in love with someone else; has been for a while. And I can't change that."

Hisao frowned sadly at her, laying back.

"... I'm sorry, Emi. You know that he didn't want this to happen, though, right? Why do you think he freaked out so much that day?"

She looked over to him, frowning.

"Because, he was with the wrong girl. _He made that clear to me._"

Hisao shook his head, scoffing a little.

"No, that's not entirely true. He freaked out because he realized he was in love with you _both, _and was in over his head. When he started the relationship, he knew what he was doing. He was convinced that he felt more strongly about _you. _He wouldn't have gotten involved if he thought otherwise."

She listened to his words, mulling them over.

"... He never wanted to hurt anyone. In the end, relationships aside, you two were _both _his friends, and that means something to him. Right now, as we speak, he's bellyaching over the whole thing, probably at the end of his rope. I won't lie to you; Hanako went to him when she found out what happened, but that's beside the point. He meant everything he said to you. Especially that day when he broke up with you."

She flinched at his last words a little, but nodded her head.

"I... I know, Hisao. I know, but – but what am I supposed to _do_? I can't go about walking on eggshells around him, nursing a broken heart. I also can't just ignore him, either. Because he's _my _friend, too. This is so messed up!"

She turned towards Hisao, looking at him expectantly. Hisao looked back at her for a moment before closing his eyes, sighing deeply.

"Honestly? Do what he told you. Move on. It sucks, but... I think you _both_ need to be happy, or _neither of you_ will be. Does that make sense? Just... you know... let it go. I don't mean to sound rude, but... did you really expect to be with him forever?"

She looked at him, a little hurt, but eventually her face cleared into a sad smile, and she shook her head.

"... No, I didn't Hisao. I didn't know _how long _we were going to be together for, but... It could have lasted longer, and that's what's hurting. Now that I'm thinking about it, though, I'm... actually a little happy that it's over..."

Hisao looked at her for a second, nodding at her.

"Better to just amputate the festering wound now, instead of getting sick and dying later, right?"

She flinched a little at the analogy, but that was the general idea.

"... Right... Thank you, Hisao. I needed to hear that."

Hisao smiled, getting up.

"Cool. Hey, I think that I'm going to head back to the school now. Want to come with me?"

She thought about it for a moment before nodding her head, standing up.

"Sure, Hisao. I suppose that it's a good idea."

He grinned a little, putting his hands behind his head before setting off, hearing Emi walk up behind him. She came to his side then, keeping pace with him. After twenty minutes of walking, they had reached the hill, and Hisao showed no signs of slowing down.

"Hey, Hisao. You're in pretty good shape."

He looked over at Emi, a little surprised, but it quickly turned into a grin when he realized where they were.

"... Wow. I guess I _am _in good shape. Damn."

She giggled at his absent-minded nature, poking him a little in the side.

"- That doesn't mean you get to stop coming, though."

He slapped his knee jokingly, chuckling mirthfully.

"Damn it! I totally thought that I had you..."

She giggled more, running a bit past him.

"Hurry up, slowpoke! If you don't, I'll make you run _even more!_"

He paled at her threat, jogging a little to catch up to her.

"H-Hey! That's not fair!"

* * *

><p>Hanako and Miikaru were walking into the grove when they saw somebody waiting for them, her hand resting on the tattered remains of the sweater. Mikaru smiled, walking up to the person and waving.<p>

"Hey there. We interrupting anything?"

The girl spun quickly, smiling at them. It was Mikki, surprisingly. She walked up to them slowly, speaking.

"Oh, uh... hey, there, you two. What's up? Is this your place?"

Hanako nodded slightly, turning her face into Mikaru's chest again. Mikaru laughed again, speaking.

"Well, I suppose you could say that. Lots of good memories here, I guess. Great scenery, too. What are you up to, Mikki?"

The girl smiled, walking closer to the two of them and crossing her arms, speaking warmly.

"Well, I was just wandering around. I saw you and Hanako going into here the other week, and I guess I wanted to see what was up. I've seen it now, and it's pretty great, even at night. Hey, Hanako, do you want to climb a tree?"

she looked up at Mikki, thinking about it. She was still a little upset with the girl, but she was being nice enough at the moment, and Mikaru could forgive her, so...

"S-Sure, Mikki..."

She smiled, taking her hand and leading her to a tree that she had found near the other side of the grove. She pointed to it, then moved towards the tree and leaned forward a bit, providing a bit of a ramp, of sorts.

"Here, Hanako, jump on. You can get Mikaru to help you get up to that branch from here."

She nodded, putting her foot on Mikki's hand before jumping with the other. Mikki, being in the shape that she was, managed to use her momentum to throw her a bit, and Mikaru moved on both of them, making sure Hanako didn't fall. When she had her hands on a branch, Mikaru switched places with Mikki, using his arms to support Hanako's feet as she climbed up into the branch.

Hanako looked out over the grove from the perch, smiling at the view she had. After a moment of that, she saw Mikki slide up beside her, grabbing a branch that was above them and holding it, smiling. Hanako looked over to the girl, smiling slightly as she looked over, and saw another branch off to the side. She moved for it, then looked down, seeing Mikaru staying on the ground, chuckling lightly up at them. Mikki put her stub on her him, speaking playfully.

"You're not joining us, Mikaru?"

He shook his head, speaking.

"- No, actually. I'm staying down here, to make sure I can catch one of you if you fall."

Mikku scoffed, chuckling herself and speaking.

"... You sure it's not for the free show?"

Both Mikki and Hanako were wearing skirts at the time, and Hanako couldn't help but laugh at that. Mikki was smiling down playfully at Mikaru as he clammed up, sputtering.

"I - But - What - Damn it, Mikki! You'd better run!"

He jumped up, wrapping his arms around the branch and starting to pull himself up like that. As he did, Mikki laughed cheerfully, jumping into another branch and climbing as fast as she could.

"No! Please, don't! Ah!"

She laughed as she climbed, surprised at the speed that Mikaru was making. He was already jumping onto the second branch when he stopped, looking at Hanako who was smiling widely at him. He softened at that, leaning against the tree and smiling.

"Hey there, Hananko. Nice view up here, right?"

She nodded, smiling wider at him. He chuckled a bit, staring at her for a moment before falling backwards slowly. Her face dropped as he did, and she let out a little scream when he fell. Mikki just watched it all happen from above, seeing Mikaru flip backwards, turning over before hitting the ground with a loud roll. He popped up at the end, landing on his feet and putting his arms out to his sides to balance himself. After that, he looked up at the girls, crossing an arm over his chest and bowing deeply.

"Mikaru, that was awesome!"

Mikki dropped down to another branch, holding on with her hand for a moment before falling. Mikaru caught her when she did, setting her onto her feet and looking up to Hanako. He put his arms up to her, and she realized just how high she was.

"Hanako, come down!"

She looked at him for a moment before falling out of the tree, taking a deep breath as she was caught in the same way that Mikki was. She held onto him tightly then, speaking muffled into his chest again.

"Mikaru, please don't... do that again..."

He laughed, seeing Mikki walk over to them and speak.

"Awe, come on, Hanako! I've been waiting for ages to see him do a real back-flip!"

She looked between Mikki and Mikaru for a moment before stepping towards Mikaru, speaking.

"I... I don't think that one r - really counted, Mikaru..."

Mikki looked over at the girl incredulously. Mikaru, on the other hand, just nodded at the girls, turning away for a moment and speaking.

"... So, I've already saved the damsels in distress. Should I take my shirt off while I do this?"

Mikki laughed at that, nodding her head and her eyes widening a bit. Hanako just smiled a bit, speaking softly to him.

"But... What about the - the beach?"

He chuckled, taking his shirt off and feeling the crisp, nighttime air on his stomach while he lifted his arms to his head, stretching out a bit.

"... Well, that one is a little harder to do, unfortunately. Maybe we'll all go sometime, ne?"

He put his arms down to his sides for a moment, taking a deep breath. He pitched forward then, jumping into the air and tucking his feet into himself, rolling over until he saw the ground coming out to meet him. He then shot his feet towards the ground, absorbing the force from the jump and steadying himself, looking over to the girls and smiling. Hanako smiled widely at him, and Mikki brought her stump up, clapping against her wrist and laughing a bit.

"- Holy shit, you weren't kidding! That's awesome!"

Hanako walked up to him, seeing him grab his shirt and throw it over his shoulders as he spoke.

"Thanks, Mikki. Hey, it's getting late. We'll see you tomorrow then, in class?"

She smiled, nodding her head.

"Sure, Mikaru. I gotta go tell Carla. Oh, and Shizune owes me 2000 yen!"

Mikki wiggled the cellphone that was in her hands, smiling widely and taking off into the forest. Mikaru just chuckled, looking down at Hanako as she touched his torso. Her fingers were cold.

"Hey, Hanako. You cold?"

She nodded, and was rewarded by Mikaru, wrapping his arms around her to warm her up. 

* * *

><p>End of Chapter Thirty!<p>

Next Time! Chapter Thirty - One: Behind These Bars, A Tale Was Told!


	31. Chapter 31

**Chapter Thirty - One: Behind These Bars, A Tale was Told!**

* * *

><p>Lilly was sitting on the beach, enjoying the nighttime air, when she heard footsteps in the sand behind her.<p>

"Hey Lils."

Lilly smiled when she heard her sister's voice, turning her head to the side.

"Hello, Akira. You have come to check up on me?"

Akira sat down beside her, mimicking her sister's position. Much to her annoyance, she didn't look quite as fetching as her sister did. She shook it off, though, remembering why her sister had come out here in the first place.

"No? Yes. Hah, well, _mostly_. First thing's first, though. Hisao called you today?"

Lilly smiled fondly, nodding her head.

"He... He did..."

Akira didn't recognize _that _tone of voice. _Or _the hesitance, for that matter.

"... And? How'd it go?"

Lilly's head turned away, making her look as if she was staring out into the water.

"It was... It was good, Akira. He said that he misses me, and that he was happy that I made it over alright. He also said that he had a good time in Tokyo, although it was an emotional roller coaster for them."

Akira raised her brow at her sister, speaking immediately after she finished.

"Is that so? You said that he went with Hanako and her boyfriend, correct – OH! About that! _Hanako's boyfriend. _Since when does Hanako have _boyfriends? _What's he like?"

Lilly frowned, making her sister frown as well.

"Is it bad? Is she making a mistake?"

Lilly immediately shook her head, holding her hand up.

"- Give me a second, Akira. I'm trying to find the right way to put this..."

Akira huffed a bit, turning towards her sister expectantly. After a few seconds of thinking, Lilly turned her head out to the water again, speaking softly.

"... it's Michael Souta..."

Akira blanched, grabbing her sister's hand and turning her to face her.

"_Michael Souta? You're fucking kidding me, Lilly!"_

Lilly pulled her hand away from her sister's grasp, crossing her arms.

"I'm not, Akira. Michael Souta is dating Hanako. _And I'm okay with it._"

Akira's jaw dropped in shock.

"You-_You know him? _You know what he did, Lilly_. _He is _dangerous,_ and -"

Lilly turned away, interrupting her sister mid-sentence.

"- _You don't know what you're talking about_, Akira. Michael Souta is a _great person, _and you should be _ashamed _of yourself for believing such things about him."

Akira shook her head, turning away from her sister.

"... Oh. My. God. I _cannot _believe that I am having this conversation with you. _He is a rapist, _Lilly. I bet he didn't tell you _that, _did he?"

Lilly snapped over to her sister, backhanding her hard on her arm. Akira held the spot, staring at her sister in shock.

"He didn't have to, Akira, _but he did_. He told me other things, though. Like how he was framed, and how he lost everything he had because of it. What's more, he actually _stopped _a rape, recently too for that matter. He was even invited to her wedding, which he was a guest of honor at. I heard the footage, Akira. That whole trial was a _farce, _and _you were there. _He couldn't even _show up, _he was so grievously injured."

Akira was shocked at her sister's words. She_ was _there_,_ but all she had heard were the charges, and what her grandfather had told her afterwards. To think that the man she knew only as _evil, _and one of the _main reasons _she held the job that she did was actually _innocent, _and hanging out with her _sister _of all people, was too much to believe.

"- Bullshit! People don't get sent to jail because they're innocent, Lilly! There was evidence that he was guilty, and a dozen eye-witness accounts of it, and -"

"- Do you hear yourself right now, Akira? _He was a little boy. _Little boys don't walk into dark alleyways at night, and try to rape people that are almost twice the size of them. What's more, they never even found _the victim. _Did she run away? She never came forward. It's a miracle that they managed to pin the rape on him in the _first place. _As it stood, the most important evidence to the crime's existence was, at worst, _imaginary. _You can't have a _victimless crime,_ Akira!"

Akira stammered for a second, scrunching her hands in the sand.

"I-I don't believe it! _He brainwashed you! _How did he get you to think such stupid things?"

Lilly snapped, standing up and shouting at her sister.

"YOU'RE THE ONE WHO'S BEEN BRAINWASHED! BRAINWASHED BY OUR FILTHY EXCUSE FOR A GRANDFATHER INTO BELIEVING THAT WHAT HE DID WASN'T UNFORGIVABLE!"

After her outburst, she started crying, stomping off towards the house. Akira watched her as she stumbled over a rock, regaining her footing and continuing on at the same violent pace. When she was well enough away, Akira slumped her shoulders down, her face wide and her mouth sewn shut.

_Brainwashed? No! Grandfather was a great man! He wouldn't do that to someone! HE COULDN'T! _

_... Could he?_

Akira sat out there for an hour, thinking about what her sister said, and the way Lilly acted towards her. After a while, though, she got fed up. Walking over to the family car, she opened the door, reaching into the glove box and pulling out her cellphone. She turned it on, activating the web browser and searching up Michael Souta. She found a video of the trial, watching it over Wi-Fi.

The video played, and she listened as the man started talking, taking her back to the trial. She was in the front row, standing behind the bench that her Grandfather was sitting at. This time, though, she listened to the conversation that was taking place, and she frowned.

"Kanasu Mikaru."

The name rang in her head. She paused the video then, bringing up another window on her phone before using Google to look it up. She saw a number of hits, but one was an advertisement, and it drew her attention. _AttainableTech..._

* * *

><p>Akira was up all night, researching the man that her sister was so intent of defending. However, as she learned more, she couldn't help the constant stream of doubts that flooded her mind. The more she thought about it, the whole thing seemed off to her, and it was leaving her shaken. She heard a bang on the car window, and looked over to see her mother standing outside of it, her hands on her hips. Rubbing her eyes of her tiredness, she slowly stepped out of the car, leaning against it with her arms crossed.<p>

"What are ye _doin' _out 'ere? Have you been in there _all night? _Ye didn't leave the motorcar on while you were in there, did ye?"

Akira shook her head, looking down. Her mother frowned then, lowering her hands after the silence became unnerving.

"What's on yer mind, Akira?"

"... Michael Souta."

The woman froze a bit, which made Akira look up at her. She noted the look on her mother's face, and it made her angry.

"... I've been researching him all night."

Her mother spoke quickly, making Akira get even more angry.

"Oh, come on, now. What would ye do a fool thing like that fer?"

Akira frowned, putting her phone in her pocket and squaring her shoulders.

"- Is it foolish? Really? Why is it foolish, mum? What shouldn't I be finding out about this?"

Her mother panicked a little, looking away. She grabbed Akira's arm, pulling her in the direction of the house.

"Nothin, dearie. That's why it's foolish -"

Akira yanked her arm away, staring at her mother hard. She didn't like this _one bit, _and the implications were a little too much to handle.

"No! It isn't foolish, mum! And I _know _that something is _wrong _with all this. It doesn't add up! _What are you hiding from me?_"

Her mother stopped, her shoulders slumping as she sighed. After a moment of silence, she turned, speaking quietly.

"... Look, sometimes, people jes' – they do what they have to, alright? Your grandfather -"

Akira stepped back from her mother, balking at her. _Lilly... Lilly was right. _

"- I don't _believe _this! _All these years, _you were _encouraging me! _Telling me that I should strive to _be like him! _He's – Grandfather was a _monster!_"

Mrs. Satou squared her shoulders, looking hard at her daughter. Her voice was completely quiet, though.

"_He... he made me promise... not to tell ye, when... when he died..._"

Akira shook her head, turning away from her mother.

"... I deserved to know. It – _this was a mistake_. I certainly _was _foolish; _foolish_ for thinking that coming here was a _good thing_. That you two had changed. _You haven't changed one iota, either of you. _Auntie is fine; as soon as I can, I'm taking Lilly again. _She doesn't need you two at her ear again._ It's not like you two really _care _about her, anyways."

Her mother looked down at the ground, crying.

"But-But It doesn't-"

"No! I don't want to hear this. Not from you. Whatever it is, _you should have said it sooner_."

Akira stomped off, leaving her mother in the driveway. Her mother watched her retreating figure until it disappeared around the hedge by the gardens, before she turned away, slowly walking inside. As she did, she cursed the day that she had made that promise to him.

... She just hoped that Lilly didn't find out what they had done.

* * *

><p>Mikaru was walking around by the park when he heard his phone ring. Raising his brow, he picked it up, sitting down and putting it on speaker.<p>

"Hello? Souta Mikaru speaking."

There was a pause on the other end, and then a feminine voice was heard.

"_Hello? Mikaru? It's Lilly. Are you alone right now?"_

Mikaru looked around seeing that he was the only one in the park.

"Yeah, Lilly. I'm in the park. What's up?"

She paused for a second before speaking, quietly.

"_... I think I made a mistake."_

Mikaru frowned, looking around again before turning his phone down, bringing it closer to him. He spoke in English, too.

"What kind of mistake, Lilly? What's eating you?"

She took another second before speaking back in English.

"_I... I have a sister, Akira, and... I told her that you were dating Hanako. I didn't think that – Akira?"_

Mikaru frowned, hearing shuffling on the other end, followed by some muffled talking before the phone made soft scratching noises, and a new voice came on the other line.

"_You're speaking to Akira Satou. Is this Michael Souta?"_

... Well that was unexpected. Mikaru didn't flinch, though.

"Yes, Ms. Satou. I am Souta Mikaru."

Akira didn't flinch, either.

"_- Is my sister telling the truth? About what my grandfather did to you?"_

He frowned at her words, not knowing what he should say. So, he went with the truth.

"... Yes. Whatever Lilly said, you should go on. I'm... I'm sorry you have to hear it like this, though..."

The line went dead for a minute, but it didn't hang up, so Mikaru waited. When she spoke again, though, she sounded weak.

"_I... I see. Lilly..."_

She was silent for a moment, but when she spoke again it made Mikaru more than uncomfortable.

"_... Pack your things..."_

The line clicked then, leaving Mikaru sitting there, completely shocked and entirely uncomfortable.

"Well _shit..._"

* * *

><p>Hisao was sitting in his room, doing some reading, when he heard his phone ring. Seeing the exorbitantly long number, he didn't hesitate to pick up.<p>

"Nakai Hisao speaking."

There was a bit of huffing on the other end, before a _very quiet _Lilly spoke.

"_Hisao? It's Lilly. Can you talk right now? Is it too late?"_

"Absolutely. What's up?"

Lilly paused for a moment, speaking a little louder.

"_... We're coming back now. My Great Aunt is ok, so Akira thought that we have no real reason to stay behind much longer."_

Hisao frowned, looking at his calender.

"... You sure? It's only been a few days..."

Lilly sighed deeply, speaking quietly.

"_... Yes, Hisao. I'm certain. We're going to be back tomorrow evening. Do you think you can still make it?"_

"Of course, Lilly. I wouldn't miss it. Are you... _Are you all right? You've sounded off for a while now, especially right now..._"

"_I... I think so, Hisao. I just... I..."_

"- Hey, Lilly? You got this, right? I know it's not really our thing, but... hey. Whatever you have that's eating you, we'll work it out. Together. Right?"

Lilly sighed again, speaking in a happy tone again. It made Hisao smile widely.

"_Together... You're right, Hisao. So long as... so long as I have you, I can deal with this. I have to go now, though. My flight is about to depart. I... I'll see you, Hisao..."_

Lilly sounded like she wanted to say something at the end, there, but Hisao made nothing of it.

"See you, Lilly. Have a safe flight."

The line clicked, and Hisao frowned, putting his phone down on his desk for a minute. Deciding that he wasn't going to get any work done, he picked his phone up, staring at it before calling Hanako, waiting for her to pick up. It only took one ring.

"_Hisao?"_

He chuckled at her worried tone, speaking calmly.

"Hey, Hanako. Are you busy right now? I wanted to know if you felt like hanging out."

She paused momentarily, speaking quietly.

"_... Oh. Well, I... I guess so, Hi-Hisao..."_

He chuckled at her shy tone, speaking merrily.

"... You thought that I was calling because Mikaru was in trouble again, didn't you?"

She paused again, eventually sighing a bit and giving the tiniest of giggles.

"_Well... yes, Hisao. You never... you never called me, otherwise..."_

He laughed at her words, slipping on his shoes and sweater before stepping out the door.

"... You know, when you put it like that, I sound like a great big jerk."

She giggled on the other end of the line, the sound of her own door clicking behind her present.

"_So... meet me out... outside?"_

"You got it. See you then."

He hung up, putting his phone in his pocket before reaching the elevator, stepping in and pressing the button for the lobby. He laughed to himself when he tried imagining Mikaru's reaction to his insistence on the elevator, still smiling about it when he walked out the doors and felt the cool nighttime air on his face. He turned a bit, seeing Hanako waiting for him in the middle of the concrete. He walked over to her swiftly, reaching her and smiling at her.

"Why, miss Hanako! What a surprise!"

She looked down sheepishly, hugging her stomach a bit.

"You... you didn't expect me to... to be here?"

He faceplamed at her words, tugging her sleeve a bit and walking towards the concrete ledge that looked out towards the gardens.

"... It was a joke, Hanako. Jeez, you really need to lighten up! I'm not going to bite, or anything."

She blushed at his words, laughing softly.

"O-Okay, Hisao... Sorry..."

He sighed, finding a nice spot under a tree and taking a seat. Hanako slowly sat beside him, looking out at the stars. She was on his right side, of course, and he couldn't help but smile a the way she looked when she was doing that.

"... You grew up in the city too, right Hanako?"

She nodded her head slowly, stuttering a bit as she spoke.

"I-I did, H-Hisao. Right until I came here, I stayed... i-in Kyoto, where I was born..."

He looked out at the sky himself, enjoying the view of the clouds being back-lit by the sky.

"Kyoto, huh? That's a nice place. I liked it better than Tokyo, I think. That might have just been my Aunt's cooking, though."

She giggled at his words, looking over to him.

"That's-That's right, isn't it? I forgot, that... that you had been, before... Did you... did you ever go to... to Maruyama Park?"

Hisao smiled at her, nodding in her direction.

"... I think that was actually my favorite part. I used to go every year in April, before my Arrhythmia took me here. However, I can't really say that it holds quite the same appeal anymore, after what I've seen here..."

Hanako paused for a second, nodding at his words.

"I... I understand, Hisao. It's... I always really... really liked it, here. It's like,"

She turned to him, looking at him as she spoke.

"- You can go outside at any time, take a few steps, and be surrounded by peace. You... you know?"

He nodded at her, turning his head to look out towards the gate. He could see it opening, and a fairly large figure stepped through.

"I know exactly what you mean, Hanako. Hey, I think that's Mikaru over there. Hey, Mikaru!"

He waved his friend down, who paused momentarily before running up to him, looking very unhappy. Hanako got up immediately, walking over to him.

"Mikaru? Is something bothering you again?"

He looked at Hanako for a moment before shaking his head, putting his stub on her shoulder before walking over and looking at Hisao.

"Hey, Hisao, what's up? You don't strike me as the night-owl type..."

Hisao sighed, looking between Hanako and Mikaru before raising his eyebrow at Mikaru, speaking slowly.

"Well, I had a lot on my mind. Lilly's coming back early, did you know?"

Hanako walked over to them, grabbing Mikaru's arm and looking excitedly at Hisao.

"R-Really? So soon? Did..."

She deflated a bit, but Hisao grinned, shaking his head.

"No, everything's ok, Hanako. Her relative is going to be ok, and Akira wanted to come home early, so they just decided to catch an earlier flight. We should make it a point to meet her there, if that's all right with Mikaru?"

He looked over to Mikaru expectantly, who was looking not-so-pleased with his words.

"I don't think... I don't think that should be a problem, Hisao. I think I can swing that."

Hisao grinned, looking over to Hanako before talking.

"Well, it's actually pretty late right now, so we should probably head back to the dorms. See you tomorrow, Hanako."

Hanako nodded, turning to Mikaru as Hisao walked away.

"How was your day, Mikaru?"

Mikaru looked over at Hanako, smiling a bit.

"It was alright, Hanako. I think I might have done something wrong today, but I can't really know for sure. What about yours?"

Hanako frowned, stepping up to Mikaru and putting her hands on his arms.

"... Mine was good, too. I spent most of my time with Carla today, since you were out. Hisao's tired, but... I'm not. Do you... do you want to stay out here with me?"

Mikaru smiled, nodding at Hanako before setting himself down, Hanako sitting on his lap. They looked out at the scenery before them, relaxing a bit. After a while, Hanako started shifting a little, and then she spoke.

"... Mikaru? What's... what's going to happen, after... after we graduate?"

Mikaru looked over at Hanako's troubled face, tightening his arms around her.

"Well, Hanako, I'm not entirely sure. I mean, Carla and I are going to finish our work before the school year closes, that much I'm certain of. After that, I'm probably going to start finding musicians to play the thing, as well as doing my other work keeping my company afloat. It's a big job, taking care of a company with so many projects and teams. Did you know that there's an entire network of computer scientists and inventors involved with my company? Heh, well, it's not exactly public knowledge, so I suppose you didn't. I guess that means, that... Well, I might just... Heh. I guess I could end up wherever, really. I'd just prefer somewhere... quiet, you know? Somewhere that I can get away to, that has a bit of room to do things at. Maybe a farm, somewhere. Well, not _really _a farm; I'd be _horrible_ at it. What about you, though? What do you want to do? I mean, I'm sure you have to have _some _plans for your future..."

She turned away from him, looking out over the scenery sadly.

"Well... I've only recently begun to do so well in school, so I... I don't have too many options, you know? I was considering doing some travelling, but... well, I'm not too... too sure, anymore..."

Mikaru frowned, looking at her and turning her to look at him.

"What's... what's there to stop you from doing that? What's making you hesitate?"

She looked at him, blushing before looking down in between them.

"Well... I don't really... I want... I wanted to s-stay, with... with you, wherever... wherever you were. I don't... I don't really..."

She looked up at him, her face looking somber. She wasn't finished speaking though, so Mikaru watched her intently.

"... I don't have a family, anymore. I didn't make too many friends here, either. But... I like... I like your family, Mikaru. They're... they're so nice to me, and... you are, too. You've always wanted what's... what's best for me, and I don't... I don't want that to end, when... when this does."

Mikaru nodded at her, looking out to the scenery once more.

"I understand, Hanako. I'm... I'm an orphan, too, after all. It would be pretty easy to just... just find a group of people and... and stick with them. If only to feel like you belong, you know? But there's more to life than just who you're with."

He looked at her, seeing that she was still looking at him intently.

"... Having friends and family that love you is important, very much so, but they shouldn't be what define you. In life, you should... you should let what _you _do define you, and what kind of person _you make yourself. _People make other people change, Hanako. It's true, but change for the sake of change is meaningless, because... if a change doesn't have any real impact on your life, then it's superficial. What do I think? I think that, if you want to travel, and see things you've never seen before, you should do that. At the same time, though, it sounds to me like you're afraid that you'll lose all those important connections you've made if you do, and that just isn't the case."

She gasped a little at the end of his sentence, grabbing his arms a little tighter.

"You've become friends with the people you have because you see things in them that others don't, and you connected with them for one reason or another. However, they did exactly the same thing you did. When I first saw you, I knew that there was more to you than a shy girl who liked to cut class. When I found out how strong you were, and how passionate about life and love you were, I fell in love with that. Just because you're in another prefecture, region or even continent doesn't mean that I think differently of you. The same can be said for your other friends, as well. Their reasons for liking you may be different, but they all identify with you just like you identify with them. Remember the wedding, and that prayer the man said about love?"

Hanako nodded at him, scanning his face as he spoke.

"He said that everyone should love each other, and that when you find love, it's no longer two or more people having feelings for one another. They become one, sharing in everything together. Just as you and I have become part of each other, you've become parts with your friends, too. So, go places. See new things, experience what Life has to offer you. Then, when you're tired and need a place to rest, you can come back, and you'll know that your friends are always right behind you, ready to catch you when you fall. That's what love is, Hanako."

She smiled when he finished speaking, leaning forward and kissing him deeply. He kissed her back, enjoying the calm and peaceful environment around them. After a short while, Hanako pulled back, looking at Mikaru fondly.

"You know... I still remember that day, when you told me that you would never love again. It seems like forever ago, now. You're so different from the troubled boy with a shady past you used to be..."

Mikaru smiled at her, raising his stump to her chest, placing it over her heart.

"Well... I have you to thank for that, Hanako. If not for you, then I would never have been able to say these kinds of things. You've taught me a lot, you know..."

She nodded, tucking her head into his chest. Her hand came up to rest over his own heart, feeling it's strong, rhythmic beating against her hand.

"It's... it's so much... stronger than mine..."

Mikaru shook his head, chuckling a bit. She smiled when it sped up, her fingers flexing against the cotton of his shirt.

"It's a fair bit larger than yours, Hanako. But your heart is strong, too."

She looked up at him, grinning at his words before kissing him on the jaw. He hummed a bit at the sensation, making her pause before she kissed him again, this time a little lower. He hummed even more, shifting a bit, and Hanako giggled.

"Do you... do you want to... It's been..."

Mikaru stood up quickly, not even bothering to let her go.

"... grab some stuff. Meet me in twenty?"

She giggled more, pushing herself away from him before watching him as she walked off towards her dorm. Seeing her retreating figure, he grinned, turning to his own dorm to clean up a bit.

* * *

><p>The next morning, Hisao woke up in his bed, looking over at the clock. Seeing that he had only fifteen minutes to get ready for his run, he quickly stepped out of his room and walked down the hall to Mikaru's dorm. He knocked on the door.<p>

"Mikaru! Wake up!"

There was a bit of shuffling, then the door opened up a crack and Mikaru's eye could be seen. He looked _very awake._

"Hey Hisao. I think it's better that I don't go today, alright? I think I need to get away from Emi for a little bit. You have fun, though. We're meeting after school at the gates, right?"

Hisao nodded, frowning a bit.

"... I wanted to talk to you last night. You didn't seem very comfortable with meeting Lilly today. What's going on there?"

Mikaru sighed, looking back into his room before turning back to Hisao.

"I spoke with Akira yesterday, on the phone. Short conversation, really. They decided to leave after that. I just... I just don't feel too comfortable with the whole thing. I know it's not entirely my fault, but it's still something that I'm involved with and responsible for, and it's been giving me a little trouble."

Hisao frowned deeper, taking a step back.

"... Oh. I didn't... what's the problem? What exactly did you say to Akira that made her decide to come home?"

Mikaru looked back again, making Hisao wonder if they were alone after all. Mikaru sighed then, turning back to Hisao and speaking quietly.

"... Do you know what Lilly's family does, Hisao?"

Hisao shook his head, his frown dissipating slightly.

"_... They're Lawyers, Hisao..."_

Hisao pondered that for a minute before his face widened in shock, looking down.

"... Oh. I... _Oh._"

They were quiet for a moment before Hisao looked back up at Mikaru, waving and walking away awkwardly. Mikaru closed the door then, looking back at Hanako. She was still asleep, but he knew that he'd be talking with her about it when she woke up. That turned out to be sooner rather than later, though, because Hanako sat up slowly, yawning deeply while stretching her hand over her head, her other one coming to her face to rub her eyes.

"Mikaru?"

She looked around the room before seeing him by the door, smiling when she did. Mikaru walked over to her, sitting beside her and watching her as she woke up.

"Morning, Hanako. Sleep well?"

She held her hand up to him briefly, leaning forwards and kissing him sweetly on the lips. When she pulled away, she smiled, nodding.

"... _That's better_... Yeah, I did. You too?"

Mikaru nodded, looking at the clock.

"... Not quite as long as I had hoped to, but it was nice while it lasted. Do you feel awake enough to talk about something important?"

She stretched once more, standing up and walking around a little until she reached down, looking at his shirt from last night. She scrubbed a bit at a grass stain on it before she slipped it on, walking back over to Mikaru and sitting down. He was staring at her, his previous train of thought almost completely gone from his head.

"... Well, Shit. I guess you found it."

She raised her eyebrow at him, leaning over a bit to look at him.

"- Found what, Mikaru?"

She looked around cutely, making Mikaru laugh. He used his stump to turn her head his way before leaning in, kissing her deeply. She gasped a bit, but sunk into the kiss comfortably. When he pulled away, she was staring deeply at him, her face flush and her mouth hanging open a little.

"... That's why I don't wear T-Shirts, Hanako. It's... something of a western fantasy, actually. Seeing our girlfriends walking around in our button-up shirts after... _well_... is what I was referring to in the hotel. M-A-S are the English initials for 'Morning-After Shirt'..."

She slapped him on the arm, giggling at the immature statement.

"- That's strange, Mikaru. But... You _did _say that, when I found this, that you'd... be obligated to stay with me, did you not?"

He chuckled, standing up.

"... Yes, Hanako, I did. I can't just give away my shirts to _anyone, _after all. It's totally different than sweaters."

She laughed, walking up behind him and hugging him.

"... That's good, Mikaru. Does that mean... that I get to keep this?"

He turned around to her, looking her over as she stood in his clothing.

"... Yes. However, there's more to the... tradition... than that. First, as part of the ritual, I would wash it, and as soon as it was clean, I would wear it for a day before I gave it to you. After that, you'd get to keep it."

She nodded, walking over to his dresser and opening the second one, looking at her stuff. Seeing her things in his dresser like this was a thrilling sight, and she felt herself blushing as she pulled out a few items of clothing. Laying them out over the couch, she turned to Mikaru, looking at him with a smile on her face.

"I... I brought enough stuff so... I could do it again, on... on short notice. I hope that's okay..."

He chuckled, stepping past her and grabbing his own things before laying them out beside hers, speaking as he sorted his things out.

"Hah. Okay, Hanako. It's _totally _okay."

She grinned at him, picking up a towel and turning to the door.

"Cover me?"

Mikaru nodded, following her out.

* * *

><p>The day passed quickly, and before they knew it they were already at the airport, waiting for Lilly. As they sat, though, Mikaru remembered that he had forgotten to tell Hanako about the phone call, and sighed as he brought his stub up to his brow.<p>

"Shit. Hanako, I forgot to tell you something this morning."

Hanako looked over to him, her face dropping a little at his tone. Hisao looked over at him as well, frowning.

"... You know what the Satou family does, right?"

Hanako nodded, slowly pausing until she completely froze, looking between the runway and Mikaru quickly.

"_M-Mikaru?_"

Mikaru chuckled a little, shaking his head.

"... Lilly's grandfather was one of the lawyers at my trial. He was also Akira's mentor. I spoke with her yesterday over the phone... they left shortly after. Because of this... I'm going to wait with Oji, back at his tailor shop until later tonight, when you all get settled in. Is that okay with you?"

Hanako looked down, shocked at the sudden information. She spoke afterwards, though.

"I... I guess so... I just... I..."

Mikaru stood up, looking at a clock on the wall before turning back to Hanako, who hadn't moved a muscle.

"It's all going to work out, Hanako. I promise. One way or another, I'll make this work. We can talk about this tonight, if you'd like. Or, I guess tomorrow is better? I don't know. Hah. You sure you okay with this?"

She looked up at him, shaking her head but speaking to the contrary.

"I... I'll talk to you... tonight..."

He nodded, looking at Hisao before turning away, walking out of the building. Hisao noted with a frown just how many heads turned at his passing, but didn't say anything. When he was gone, he turned back to Hanako, who was hugging herself. Right before he could talk, however, Hanako spoke first.

"H-Hisao? Do you... do you think that... that it's going to be okay?"

Hisao frowned at Hanako, putting his hand on her shoulder.

"Of course. Mikaru said so, didn't he? He doesn't lie. If he says it's going to work out, then he'll make it work. Cheer up, Hanako. Lilly's going to be here soon, after all."

Hanako looked up at Hisao, smiling. She wiped her eyes a bit, nodding at him.

"Th-thanks, Hi-Hisao..."

Just then, Hisao pointed out the window, smiling. Hanako turned her eyes, seeing the plane and jumping up. After waiting for a few minutes, Hisao and Hanako saw Lilly's distinct blond hair, causing them to walk forward quickly. Akira nudged her sister, speaking into her ear, and Lilly called out to them.

"Hisao? Hanako?"

Hisao stopped a few feet short of them as Hanako walked up to her friend, smiling as she wrapped her arms around her.

"Lilly!"

Lilly laughed softly, wrapping her arm around the girl and smiling as she tucked her chin over her shoulder.

"Hello, Hanako. I missed you."

Hanako hugged her for another second before looking over at Akira, smiling. Hisao walked over to Lilly then, speaking quietly.

"Hey, Lilly. It's great to see you again."

He walked up to her, letting her feel his arms before he wrapped them around her, holding her close to him. She hugged him back tightly, her ear resting against his cheek.

"Hisao... I missed you..."

They pulled away after a second, turning to Hanako and Akira. Akira looked at the two, seeing their hands wrapped around in one another before letting a cheeky smile by.

"-Ah. You must be this Hisao I've heard so much about. I'm Akira. It's nice to meet you."

She stuck her hand out to him, Hisao not hesitating to shake her hand and smile at her.

"You're Akira, then. It's nice to meet you too."

Akira looked around for a second, frowning.

"Hey, wasn't there supposed to be one more?"

Hanako flinched a bit, but Hisao was decisive about the whole thing.

"- Yeah, but he had to go check on his Oji, who owns the local Tailor's downtown. He gives his apologies, but said that he'd be around to check up on us tonight before he settles in."

Akira frowned at Hisao, nodding her head and looking over to Lilly.

"... Well, Lils, I guess I'd better get back to work, then. Hisao, Hanako, you can see my sister home safely, right?"

Hisao nodded, picking up one of her bags.

"Sure thing, Akira. I'll call for a cab to bring us back. Have a nice day!"

Hanako walked over to Akira, hugging her.

"Goodbye, Akira..."

Akira looked down at Hanako, her eyebrow raised at the rare display of affection before smiling sweetly, hugging her back.

"See you, Hanako. Be safe, alright?"

Hanako looked up at her, nodding slowly. Akira, satisfied that her sister was in good hands, walked off towards the exit, thinking about the recent turn of events.

_Hmm... Hisao was pretty helpful, telling me about the tailor. I know the place; I'd wager that I could still catch him if I hurry. I can't believe that I've been getting my suits from his uncle for the past three years, though. How didn't I see the connection?_

* * *

><p>Mikaru was talking with his uncle before his phone buzzed, signifying that he had a text. He held his stump up to pause his Oji before pulling his phone out, speaking to Siri. Seeing it was from Hisao, he opened it, reading the message.<p>

_I told Akira you were at the Tailor's. That's what you wanted, right? Oh well. It's done now, anyway. Good luck?_

Mikaru chuckled, putting his phone away. He turned back to Oji, grinning a little.

"- Sorry I'm so popular, Oji. I didn't mean to be rude, I just don't get texts that often, for obvious reasons. Actually, though, I think that I have to step out for a while. I've been expecting to meet with someone today, and I don't want to do it in here. Is that all right?"

His Oji sighed, shaking his head before looking back at the man, grinning.

"Popular indeed! Alright, Mikaru. Off you go. Thanks for stopping by to see me! It was a real treat."

Mikaru nodded, wrapping his arm around the man's shoulders before walking away, heading out the back door into the alley. Looking both ways, he stepped out of the shop, seeing a bench in front of the store and taking a seat. He crossed his arms and waited, then.

After a few minutes of waiting, a red, sporty sedan pulled to a stop in front of the shop, and a girl with short blonde hair and a patterned suit stepped out. She looked around a bit before using her keys to lock the doors, then J-walked across the street. She was about to walk in the shop when Mikaru spoke.

"... Akira."

She paused, looking over to the man on the bench. She saw him stand up, turning her way and letting his arms hang loose. She looked him over, seeing scars on his chest from his loosely-buttoned shirt and his lack of hands before walking up to him slowly. She stopped four feet away from him, crossing her arms and speaking.

"... Michael Souta?"

She couldn't help but feel intimidated by his presence. He was tall, towering over her. She wasn't expecting him to be white, either, so it was nothing short of a shock. She didn't have time to think about it long, though, because Mikaru took a seat, gesturing to the bench beside him. Akira slowly took a seat, leaning back and looking out at the sky. When she had gotten a little more comfortable, Mikaru spoke in English to her.

"You speak fluently, yes? I'd rather have this conversation in English, for fear of eavesdroppers."

Akira didn't look at him, deciding that his way of doing things was decidedly better than her way.

"I think that makes sense, Michael. Hisao was pretty helpful in finding you; did you plan this?"

Mikaru paused for a second, leaning forward before speaking in the same calm, even tone that he had been using since the start of the conversation.

"... I did, but Hisao didn't know, really. Hisao and I have a strange relationship; we communicate on multiple levels, you know? I wagered on him trying to fix this mess, and told him where you could find me. You being here now confirms that he did that."

She frowned at the manipulative words, shifting in her seat until she was even more reclined than she was before.

"... You're not making this any easier, you know, saying things like that..."

Mikaru chuckled, shifting so he too was reclined comfortably.

"Well, I figured that putting the pressure on you at the airport where there was little to no privacy or comfort wasn't fair. We still have to talk, though. That was the best solution."

She sighed, seeing the truth in his words.

"Well, at least you _meant _well. Anyhow, cut the crap. I've spent the last four years of my life following in my grandfather's footsteps, all because of your trial."

Mikaru sighed, shifting a bit until he was a little straighter.

"I figured it was something like that. Just for the record, I don't hold that against you."

"_... Noted._"

Akira was getting even more confused at this point. She hadn't expected the conversation to be this long, or this easy. In fact, the ease that they were conversing with was more concerning than anything else. She decided to turn to him then, looking over him while he was relaxed. She noted the strength that hid under his clothes, and the way his jaw worked when he thought. She also noticed his strange eyes. Just as she saw them, though, he looked over to her, shifting to face her. When she saw them full on, it left her transfixed.

"You're a fan of blunt? I like blunt too, so this should be easy. Here's my story: When I was thirteen, I got in an argument with my adoptive mother. I stormed out, walking around downtown Tokyo until I head a noise down an alleyway. Looking into it, I saw Mr. Aragaki, your Grandfather's client, trying to rape someone. I walked over to him, shouting at him to stop, and then the others came out. They were armed. I was thirteen, and had only been practicing martial arts for three years by then, so I didn't stand a chance. They cut me up a fair bit, slashing for two minutes until Mr. Aragaki came forward, brandishing a cleaver. He removed my hands then, one at a time, and kicked them away from me. As this was happening, the woman who was being assaulted ran away, and then I passed out from loss of blood. I woke up the next day wrapped in plastic and rags, when two or three people spotted me on their morning walk. They called an ambulance, and I was taken to hospital shortly after. When the local news agencies found out about me, Aragaki charged me with various things, and the rest is history."

She nodded at him, her arms crossed and her face neutral. He looked away, staring out into the sky and talking a little quieter.

"... I know that you've heard it before. It was my defense, after all. To be honest, I don't care whether you believe me or not, though. In the end, that's not really the problem here. While I can't say to you that I can prove my innocence today, what I _can _do is prove that I'm not going to hurt anyone else."

He turned back to her, seeing her eyebrow raised at this new direction in his approach.

"... You see, honesty is an important part of my life. I believe that, so long as what you are doing or saying is honest, then it doesn't matter whether people think little of you or not. When I came to Yamaku, I was open and honest with Hisao, Lilly, and Hanako. In fact, I told Hanako _the day that I met her_ what my situation was. Every day after that, I strove to be as good of a person as I could, being honest and open with whomever needed it. What I'm saying is, that when I said I was going to do something, I did it. When Hisao needed me to help him run, I helped him run. When Hanako needed me to love her for the beautiful girl that she is, I did so without regrets. When Lilly needed me to assure her that I was a good person to have around, I did. So, with all that in mind, I'm going to make the same promise I made to her. I promise, that so long as I am alive, that I won't let anything harm you or your family. And Hanako is a part of that family. I know that words are cheap, though, so I'll let you do what you will with them. What do you need to see from me?"

Akira mulled his words over, looking at him seriously before standing up.

"I want you to get in my car."

Mikaru nodded, getting up and following her across the street. She unlocked the doors, stepping in first. Mikaru stepped in afterwards, shifting around for a second before frowning.

"Akira? I don't mean to be a bother, but..."

She looked over to him, frowning before she saw his arm holding the seatbelt by his hip. She reached over, clicking it into place. She slipped her own on before starting her car, pulling off with a start. She drove in silence for fifteen minutes until she reached a fairly large office building, reaching over and clicking his belt before pulling her own off, getting out. She looked back to see Mikaru just barely managing to get his door open, stepping out smoothly before closing it softly. She slammed her door closed, using her hand to gesture him along as she walked over to the large building.

When the got inside, Akira walked over to the front desk, talking to the receptionist quietly before beckoning Mikaru on towards an elevator. He followed her in wordlessly, waiting for it to reach the top before he saw what was going on.

The elevator opened up to an open room with doors all around it. Akira's name was on a large room in the corner, which she approached. She opened the door, waving him in before pointing to a chair that sat in front of a desk. He took a seat, hearing the door close behind him. It was silent for three minutes until she came back, throwing a tablet in front of him.

"This is a contract. You can sign it verbally."

He used his stub to move the document down, reading all of the stipulations within it. Noting that it was thorough, damning and completely airtight, Mikaru pressed a button with his nose, clearing his throat and speaking clearly.

"I, Michael Souta, hereby agree to abide by any and all applicable terms and stipulations laid forth in this document until such a situation arises that abiding to this agreement would be unlawful or otherwise impossible. I acknowledge that until such a time that either myself or Ikezawa Hanako and all surviving members of the Satou family are incapable of fulfilling this contract, or until such a time that the contract is aborted, voided or otherwise rendered null, that I have a legal obligation to uphold and observe the terms and stipulations of this contract."

After Mikaru pressed his nose down on the tablet again, he looked up to Akira who was looking at him hard. He watched her, seeing her reach across the table before picking up the tablet, reading it over once more before sighing, tapping the screen a few times before setting back on the table.

"... I deleted it."

He watched her in the dark room, not moving or speaking. He figured that he had spoken enough, and now it was Akira's turn to take charge.

"I didn't know what to expect of you when I spoke about you with Lilly on the plane. She told me how honest, compassionate and determined you were, and it didn't add up with the monster I had been told so much about. I researched you as long as I physically could when I found out you were with Hanako and Lilly. I haven't slept in three days, in fact. I know that your trial was bullshit, though. I did this because I wanted to gauge how serious you were about your words, and you didn't disappoint me."

Mikaru nodded, leaning forwards and clearing his throat.

"You haven't slept in three days? Have you meditated, at least?"

Akira laughed at his question, amused at how he had seemed so patient and serious until then.

"I don't quite know how to answer that, Michael. Does sitting still for 16 hours count?"

Mikaru chuckled a bit, looking seriously at her.

"- I'm serious, Akira. I don't know what the rules of the road are here, but it's illegal to drive after being awake for longer than 48 hours consecutively."

She waved him off, scoffing while standing up, inviting him to stand.

"Shove off, Souta. I'll get my boyfriend to pick me and my car up later today. I still have work to do, believe it or not."

Mikaru shook his head, sighing before walking out of her office.

"Good luck with that, then. Hopefully, the next time we meet can be under better circumstances?"

Akira nodded, holding her hand up to him. He paused, looking at her.

"You know about Hanako's birthday?"

Mikaru nodded, poking his head back in for a moment.

"... We have plans that day. I've decided to dub it: Nothing, because that's exactly what's different about the date. We're still playing hooky, though. She wanted to go to town, and just hang out. You know, a 'Not-Birthday' party."

Akira looked at him seriously for a moment, before smiling at him.

"... You pulled that off? That's freaking _genius, _Michael! Why didn't _I _think of that? It's so simple! A birthday party disguised as an avoidance of her birthday!"

Mikaru chuckled.

"It was her idea, actually. I had the feeling that her birthday was a bit of a sore spot for her, so I spoke with her. She didn't want me not to be with her, but at the same time, she still didn't want people to fuss over her."

Akira frowned at that, looking down at the table.

"... Really? She just... didn't want people to fuss? Just pretend like it isn't special?"

Mikaru nodded, stepping back into the room.

"... I'm an Orphan too, you know, but it's not about that I think. I was treated like shit in the slammer, you know. Mostly because I was deformed."

Akira looked up at him, raising her hands to try and stop him, but he continued on.

"... Not on my birthday, though. It all went away for that one day. That one, singular, insignificant day. All the people who hit, stabbed, taunted and tormented me just pretended like nothing was wrong; like I mattered. Honestly? It was infuriating. Just... think about that."

Mikaru turned and left then, leaving Akira to think about his words.

_All this time... I thought that it was about her family being gone... but he's saying that it couldn't be farther from that. It makes sense, too. It's so simple, but I would NEVER have been able to understand that had he not told me. Is Hanako the same?_

She frowned, pulling out her phone and calling her boyfriend.

"... Hey, babe. Can you come pick me and the car up? I want to see you, and I don't think I can work right now."

* * *

><p>End of Chapter Thirty - One: Behind These Bars, A Tale was Told!<p>

Next time! Chapter Thirty - Two: Behind These Bars, A Party to Forget!


	32. Chapter 32

**Chapter Thirty - Two: Behind These Bars, A Party to Forget!**

* * *

><p>It was indeed late when Mikaru got back. Stepping up to his dorm, he was surprised to find Hanako waiting for him, browsing his computer with a bit of trouble. When he came in, she turned around quickly, blushing when he saw her.<p>

"Hey, Hanako. You haven't been waiting long, have you?"

Hanako quickly got up, stammering and stumbling a bit before she collided with his chest, making an 'OOOF' sound when she did. It made him feel a little bad, but he couldn't deny the cuteness of a flustered Hanako.

"Oh, um, Mikaru! You-You're back a little-a little earlier than-than I had expected!"

He chuckled stepping past her and deciding to tease her a bit.

"Why so flustered, Hanako? You been talking to your other boyfriends on messenger while I was away?"

She stammered a bit, running past him and pushing his chest in a futile attempt to slow him down.

"M-Mikaru! How could – No! I-I wasn't - I don't – _Mikaru!_"

He stopped, looking down at her flustered and generally unhappy disposition before chuckling, hugging her tightly to his chest.

"... All right. I'll stop teasing you now. I missed you, Hanako."

He pulled away the tiniest bit, using his stump to pull her chin up a bit. She was looking at his face, flushed and frowning, but she wasn't pulling away, either, so that was good.

"I'm gonna grab a drink. If you want to turn the computer off, we can talk for a while on the couch, if you'd like."

He pulled away from her then, walking over to his mini-fridge before pulling out a soda. He set it on top of the appliance before sliding his stubs in between his buttons, pulling the shirt open and letting it fall to the floor. After it was on the ground, he picked it up with his foot, placing it into his laundry hamper before turning around to grab his drink again. When he turned back to the couch, Hanako was already sitting down, looking up at him with her arms crossed and a deep frown on her face. He sat down on the coffee table, facing her and setting his drink to the side, looking at her intently.

"You didn't tell me."

He sighed at her, looking down at the ground and resting his elbows on his knees.

"... You're right; I didn't."

She stood up, pacing around a bit before turning back to him, almost yelling at him from behind.

"How – How could you just – _just leave like that? _I thought you were – that you were Lilly's _friend_! And then you – you didn't even tell me about – about her grandfather!"

He flinched at her words, hanging his head lower and lower until he couldn't hang it any lower. He spoke then, his voice quiet and timid but steady in timbre.

"I... I wanted to tell you sooner, but you seemed happy last night, and I didn't want to ruin it for you. Then, this morning, I was going to tell you, but we started talking about hanging out tomorrow, and it slipped my mind until the airport. By then, it was too late to try and sort it out properly, so I decided that it would be better for everyone if I was gone. I don't..."

Hanako sat down again, still looking angry with him.

"- you don't what? You – You figured that – that you didn't belong, so – so you just left? I – I wanted us _all _to be together again! Like – Like we used to! Why didn't you say anything – anything sooner?"

He looked up at her, feeling incredibly sad that he had distressed her so much.

"I'm sorry, Hanako. Lilly and I worked it out early on into our friendship, so I didn't think it was important. I didn't know about Akira until it was too late, and by then the damage was done. You still deserved to know, though. I should have told you. It was a mistake to get complacent like that, and you deserve better."

Hanako looked away from Mikaru, her arms coming around herself. Mikaru desperately wanted to go to her and hold her, but he knew that if he tried anything like that right now it wouldn't end out well for them.

"I just... I thought it was so different... that it was over. Why – Why is it always coming back to – to haunt us?"

Hanako's words _stung, _but he didn't get mad at her. Hanako didn't deserve his anger for thinking that.

Hanako looked up at him, crying now. Mikaru saw this, and forced himself to stare, even though it was killing him to see it. He needed to say something, fast.

"... I promised, didn't I?"

She sniffed at him, shifting forward and speaking weakly.

"_W-What...?"_

Mikaru grew resolute again, sitting taller and keeping his eyes locked with Hanako's.

"I promised you. I promised you that it would work out. That's why I went to speak to Akira today, and that's why we're going to all hang out together in town, tomorrow. I promised that it would work out, and I won't rest until we're all happily together again. I... I ruined that for you today, and I can't let it go until I've fixed it. Does that sound good?"

Hanako smiled the tiniest bit, leaning towards him.

"_You spoke to Akira today? You... you think that we can all... all be together again, like we're supposed to?"_

Mikaru stood up, extending his forearm to Hanako. She slowly reached out for it, wrapping her fingers around it and pulling herself to her feet. When she was standing again, looking up at him with hopeful, teary eyes, he vowed to never let himself cause something like that again.

"I promise you, Hanako. As long as I have you, I will never, ever do something like that to you again. I will do everything in my power to make sure that we all remain friends, and most of all, I will _never_ leave you like that again, no matter what is staring me down."

Hanako sniffed, nodding her head before resting her head against his chest, breathing deeply. Mikaru closed his arms around her, holding her tight before hearing her whimper a bit. He pulled away, looking down to her. She looked up at him with heavy lidded eyes, speaking quietly.

"I'm... tired..."

Mikaru picked her up, carrying her over to his bed before tucking her in, making sure she was comfortable before taking his shirt off, lying down beside her. He wrapped his arms around her, feeling him snuggle up to him. Soon after, when she was asleep, he got out of bed, grabbing his phone and stepping outside. As soon as he was out in the hallway, he turned it on, using Siri to send a text to Lilly and Hisao.

_Hey there. Just wanted to let you know that I got in okay, and that I spoke with Akira after you got back. You should meet me and Hanako in town tomorrow. It's not about her birthday, though, so please don't make a big deal about it. See you all tomorrow!_

Mikaru closed his phone down then, stepping down the hall and walking outside. When he was out, he started walking around when he noticed Emi sitting by their tree, looking out at the sky. He sighed to himself, walking over to her silently.

"... Hey there, Emi. What are you doing?"

Emi looked over to him, almost looking surprised that he was actually talking to her before she looked back to where she was looking before, speaking quietly.

"Oh, just looking up at the stars. Thinking, mostly."

Mikaru nodded, stepping past her and jumping up into the tree again, settling on top of the first branch before talking again.

"It's a hell of a night tonight."

Emi looked up at him, standing and stepping back a bit to properly see him.

"Yeah... Why... why are you here?"

Mikaru looked over at her briefly, turning his gaze back towards the sky.

"Me? I'm just thinking, too. The past few days have been stressful on me, and I haven't really had time to just... settle up again, you know?"

Emi looked like she wanted to leave, but instead she closed her eyes and took a deep breath before walking up to the base of the tree.

"So, no matter what other reasons there were, you left me for Hanako."

"... Yes."

Emi sighed, sitting down before talking frankly.

"I... I don't mind. She always cared about you, you know. Always. She's the reason I tried dating you, actually."

Mikaru hopped down from the tree, looking seriously at Emi.

"Oh?"

Emi nodded, looking away towards the forest.

"She brought me into the forest the day after you and I stopped talking. Showed me what you did. She told me that it was my fault, and then she left. I could barely believe my eyes, all the blood I saw. The tree still has it's wound, even after all this time. I go there every once and a while, and enjoy the flowers. I guess... I guess that's _your _spot, though."

Mikaru frowned, looking away from Emi before crossing his arms, looking down.

"Emi, it's a clearing in a forest. There's millions of clearings in forests all over the world. I didn't _buy _the place; it's not like I have any _real _claim to it. It's the same as this tree, here. We don't own this tree, but... we own the memories associated with it. That's why it's not My and Hanako's spot, because you have ties there, too. We're all supposed to be friends here, at the end of the day. Just because I'm dating someone doesn't mean that we have to pretend like the other doesn't exist."

Emi looked over at him, getting a little angry.

"That's _hardly _fair, Mikaru. Why should I have to pretend like I'm happy about this for your sake?"

Mikaru looked back at her, frowning.

"- I don't want anyone pretending _anything _for my sake. I also don't want you thinking that your happiness depends on _me, _either. How is _that _supposed to be fair? _Or _healthy?"

Emi looked down, thinking about it.

"I don't know, Mikaru. I don't like feeling like this, especially about you. We're supposed to be friends. I just don't understand why I had to start... had to start loving you like I did."

Mikaru let out a loud sigh, jumping down before putting his stubs on her shoulders.

"Do you want my honest opinion?"

Emi looked up, seeing his completely serious face for a moment, before nodding slowly. She knew that whenever he said stuff like that, the next thing he was going to say would hit her hard.

"... I think that losing your father affected you more than you let on. I don't think that you can form attachments easily to people, so you put yourself on a pedestal and strive to be unattainable so that you don't have to get hurt again. When I came along, though, you saw someone who could reach the top of your pedestal, and it scared you. So, you tried to bring me under you, so that you would never have to deal with that. Something happened, though, along the way. _You started to care. _You saw more and more of me with each passing day, and it fascinated you. You've said just about as much yourself. By then, though, when I was beneath you, you starting to care turned into you needing me as a support. I became your pillar, and when I crumbled, you fell down as well."

Emi learned something new that day. She learned to finally understand Mikaru's philosophy on life, taking words for what they were, and events as they came. She looked back on all of their encounters that way, seeing just where he was getting his theory, and was shocked to see the startling amount of logic behind it.

"Oh my god... you're right, Mikaru..."

She sat down, looking at the ground like she was going to be sick.

"But... I don't want you to be beneath me. That's not how friendship works. I want to be your equal. How didn't I see this? Did you know this was happening the whole time?"

Mikaru shook his head, sitting down beside her.

"I didn't, Emi. It was only possible to see it now, when you said what you did. I'm not angry, though. In the end, it hurt you more than it hurt me. You want to be my equal? Okay, then. We're equals. It's really that easy."

She looked at him, smiling.

"You think so? Just... start being equals?"

Mikaru chuckle, standing up and turning to leave.

"It's not, really, but for now it will do. I'll see around, okay?"

She nodded at him, waving.

"Goodbye!"

When he left, she sat down again, feeling really good about her and Mikaru for once. She didn't ache over him like she used to before, and his insightful words into her mind helped her put a lot of her relationships into perspective. She decided that she was done with being the girl that lost Mikaru, and decided then to be a new Emi; one that could really care about someone as an equal instead of trying to put them beneath her.

* * *

><p>Hanako woke up, feeling Mikaru snoring lightly as he slept. She smiled as she watched him, her hand coming up to his face and stroking it lightly. He woke up at that, slowly, speaking.<p>

"Good... morning... unnnnh..."

She laughed at his state, leaning down to him and kissing him on the face. She kept it up, floating around him for a while until he kissed her back finally, making her a little dizzy. When it was over, he looked at her for a moment before standing up, walking towards the Mini-fridge and speaking.

"So, mysterious stranger sleeping in my bed, what are you into? Today looks like as good a day as any to get out, and maybe have some fun?"

She smiled at him, walking up behind him and kissing his back. He inhaled deeply at that, her grip causing her to get squished a little.

"... Wow... I've never really had strangers get so intimate with me, before..."

She laughed at him, turning him around and looking at him. He looked right back, smiling at her widely as he took a sip of a soda.

"I've heard that soda in the morning is bad for you. Want some?"

She took it from him, taking a sip before giving it back. He smiled at that, chugging the rest before stepping past her, speaking.

"I need to shower. I slept amazing last night, but I really feel like I need one right now."

She nodded, seeing him leave before she looked around, sitting down on the bed and smiling to herself.

_Today started out really good... but it doesn't feel all that different than any other day, to me. Maybe a little better, but that might just be because everything's going to be okay now._

She gathered her things for a while until he came back in, closing the door behind him and lifting the towel that rested around his waist to his head. He scrubbed at his short hair a bit, leaving her to just look at him and smile. She walked over to him, putting her hands on his hips which got him to slow his movements. She then kissed his chest, right over his heart, and grabbed her own bathing gear. She left then, sneaking through the dormitories.

After she had left, Mikaru chuckled to himself, grabbing some clothes and slipping them on. He decided that a T-shirt, with some jogging pants and a sweater was what he wanted for today, and it was a good choice. She walked in about 12 minutes later, looking at him with a sheepish smile as she approached. She then spun him around, and he heard the towel dropping behind him. He smiled at that, but didn't say anything otherwise as she ruffled around clothing. After a few minutes, he felt a hand on his arm, and turned to face her.

She was dressed in a light skirt, with a black shirt and olive green jacket. She was wearing a beret on her head, and had leggings on that disappeared past her hips, and into the skirt. He smiled at the simple, stylish clothing, leaning forward and kissing her.

"Okay, Hanako. I get it. You're out of my league. I'm leaving soon. Do you want to come with me?"

She smiled, nodding her head.

"I'd like that, Mikaru..."

He smiled widely at her, looking past her and speaking.

"Cool. Do you think you could grab me my wallet and phone? They're on my nightstand."

She turned around, seeing the items and collected them. After they had everything ready, they looked out the window, checking to make sure the coast was clear before they made a dash for the stairs. They ran through the dorms, making it to the gate before they stopped, laughing a little. Mikaru then pulled it open, and stepped through. Hanako was right behind him, closing the gate before they slipped away towards the town.

After that, it was only an hour and a half later, at noon, that they were in the city, and they were excited. They walked out into the fresh air, and Hanako looked around, smiling brightly. Before she could really do anything, though, Mikaru put his arm out to her, and she took it. After that, he led her to a park, where he took a seat on a bench and sat down. She sat down with him, leaning into his arm and smiling.

"... I was right. This is an excellent day to play hooky. Thanks for coming with, Hanako. You're pretty good to me, you know that?"

She looked at him, smiling.

"Thank you... Mikaru... What do... you want to do today?"

He smiled at her, speaking.

"Well, a little later, I wanted to swing in and see my Oji again. I didn't get to really see much of him the last time I came, and he's been asking a lot about us lately. I also heard about this pretty great little bar, on the other side of town. I figure that I could probably get in, but it would be easier if I had you on my arm. You game?"

She smiled, nodding at him and speaking.

"That sounds fun... Do they have pool there?"

He brought his stub up to his chin, thinking about it.

"... Oh, probably. It's a nice little Jazz club. Those usually do. Interesting fact, did you know that Jazz bars are almost nonexistent in Canada?"

She shook her head, laughing at that.

"- Really? They're fun, though..."

He smiled at that, nodding his head.

"I know! The rest of the world really doesn't know what they're missing. Those things leave us a fair bit of time, though. Is there anything that you want to get in as well? Maybe you know of a couple places around here that can interest us..."

She smiled, looking around before finding something in the corner.

"... Mikaru? There's... there's chess, over there. Do you want to... to play with me?"

He smiled at her, nodding his head.

"Sure thing, Hanako. You'll just have to move my pieces for me."

She smiled at him, helping him onto his feet before walking over to the spot and sitting down at a free table. Mikaru put his hands on his lap then as Hanako cleaned the board, getting everything into place. After she was ready, deciding that Mikaru would move first, he looked at the board for a moment before picking a piece, speaking.

"That pawn, third from the left. Move it up two squares."

She did, then looked at the board and moved a knight out on the same side. After that, they lost track of time, playing a long, challenging game until Mikaru had 4 pieces left, and Hanako had six. He smiled at her, speaking.

"Queen me."

She nodded, moving the pawn to her side of the board and then moving her bishop into place near his king. He saw this, noting that he was almost stuck unless he could do something fast. Deciding to play a gambit, he moved his rook in beside the King, which was down on the right corner. Hanako had a strong defense on her own corner, their Kings in line with each other. She looked at the board, before smiling brightly and moving her Queen into a spot that would keep the King from moving. Mikaru smiled at that, using his stub to move his knight up on her king, putting it into check. After that, She moved her own Rook towards it, taking the piece and smiling. At that, Mikaru's last move was to act against her King with his Queen, which was swiftly taken.

"... That's stalemate. I can't move. Good game, Hanako. You're really good at this."

She smiled, crossing her arms and speaking.

"... I think that I deserve a prize..."

He chuckled at that, standing up from the table and holding his arm out to her. She took it, standing up with him and walking towards his Oji's tailor shop, speaking.

"I believe you are correct, Miss Ikezawa. Name your price."

She stopped them, leaning against a tree with a shy, beautiful smile. He walked up to her, bringing his arm to her face and kissing her. After a few moments, he pulled away, and she spoke happily.

"... That was a great prize..."

He chuckled at that, and they started moving again. After about 35 minutes of walking, they reached the street where his shop was, and headed towards it. As they did, they were surprised to see Akira sitting outside of it, by a bench. She looked over to them, smiling slightly and standing up. Hanako went a little rigid, but Mikaru walked past her, putting his arm up to the woman and speaking warmly.

"Miss Satou! This is a surprise, indeed. Hanako and I were just stopping by to see my Oji. What brings you down here?"

She smiled a little wider at that, shaking his arm and speaking.

"- I'm here for the same reason, actually. I left a suit by his shop the other day, and wanted to pick it up. Hey Hanako! I missed you!"

Hanako walked up to her, hugging her and speaking.

"H-Hey, Akira... did you... get settled in o-okay?"

They pulled apart then, and Akira spoke warmly.

"I did, Hanako. Are you having a good day?"

She nodded, speaking a little quietly as she moved back to Mikaru's side.

"... Yes... we went to the – the park, and played... chess..."

She smiled at that, looking up at Mikaru next.

"Really? Who won?"

He smiled, looking down at Hanako and speaking.

"_- Who won?_ You're kidding me, right?"

Akira laughed at that, shaking her head.

"- You too? Jeez. I thought that somebody would have taken her down by now..."

He smiled, speaking.

"I wish there was a chess club at Yamaku. She'd probably be president."

Hanako smiled at that, but ducked her head into his chest with mild embarrassment.

"... By the way Mikaru, I know the Osamukis."

Mikaru smiled at that, raising his eyebrows.

"- Really? Small world."

She smiled, nodding her head.

"- Yeah. Aoi was telling me about how well her honeymoon was going a little while back. They should be back soon. They went to Canada, for some reason."

Mikaru chuckled, shaking his head.

"- You know we get hot summers there too, right? Seriously. 40 degrees, centigrade. That's like, 115 Fahrenheit. Hot as hell."

She chuckled at that, smiling a bit.

"I'm heading in now. Join me?"

He looked at Hanako, who nodded her head. She was still feeling pretty worried about this, but the casual conversation was like a balm to her nerves. Mikaru opened the door for the girls, and they headed inside with a smile. Oji was sitting in the back, organizing Akira's suits when he turned, smiling at the group.

"Ah. Hello there! Welcome back. Mikaru, I trust there's a good reason for you to be here right now?"

He chuckled, shaking his head as he spoke.

"- Hey, old man, I do my work. It's a nice day. I thought that Hanako and I had earned a little off time, and I was also thinking about meeting up with some friends of ours later tonight."

He chuckled incredulously at the boy, shaking his head in mock exasperation.

"_Earned the time off?_ You just went to Tokyo for a week! Ah, why do I bother...?"

He turned to Akira then, smiling as he spoke in English.

"Akira, I have mended your clothing. What were you _doing _that tarnished my work like this? I don't mind the business at all, but it's still a little exasperating fixing the same suit every 2 months."

She laughed, an almost deep, booming chuckle, and spoke back.

"That? Oh, that was a scuffle I got myself into after a rough case. Bastard thought he could take me out back and beat me for ruining him. But I got him, you believe me."

He shook his head at the woman, picking up her things and putting them into a bag to store the clothing.

"_Lawyers_... At least you pay well. You're nice, anyway. And you know my nephew! You've met his girlfriend, right? She's the bashful one, hiding in his chest right now."

He looked at Hanako then, and Akira turned around, switching back to Japanese for her sake.

"Oh! Yes, of course. I've known her longer than he has, actually. He works a little fast for my taste, but at least he's good people."

Hanako smiled at that, but her head stayed firmly worked into Mikaru's chest. Akira then turned back to Oji, paying him for his work and picking up the suit. She turned to Mikaru then, speaking.

"- You said you're going to be here for a while? I'm off today, so maybe I could meet up with you after I get this back to my place?"

Hanako looked up at the girl, nodding her head. Akira looked to Mikaru then, who smiled.

"- You heard the lady. Don't take too long, lest Hanako has a heart attack or something. It's getting on in the day, though, and we haven't eaten yet. I think I saw a cafe somewhere a few blocks back. Meet us there?"

She nodded her head, putting her suit over her shoulder and walking out of the shop.

"- Later, Souta."

They both waved at the woman, and Oji turned to him, smiling.

"I heard that you spoke with your mother while you were in Tokyo last week. She was very happy that you stopped by! Even took her to dinner, and met her boyfriend. Tell me, Mikaru, what do you think of that man?"

Mikaru smiled, speaking.

"What do I think? I think that he's exactly what she needs right now. He's a well-spoken, old-fashioned man that respects her and doesn't hate me. I can't really ask too much more than that from the universe."

Oji smiled, shaking his head for a moment before speaking.

"... Hey, Mikaru? I was thinking about changing up my shop a bit. What do you think?"

He looked around, thinking. As he did, though, Hanako stepped forward, speaking quietly.

"... Well, Oji... You could maybe... Move the counter over... over there, and... change the name."

He smiled brightly at the girl, looking into the back for a moment where she was talking about.

"- are you saying that this place needs a woman's touch, Hanako?"

She nodded her head at him, speaking.

"You could call it... Oji's Tailor, and... maybe... turn it into... a franchise..."

He smiled widely at the woman, speaking.

"... It would be a large investment, Hana-Chan. I like that name, though. I think what I really need is an apprentice right now. Do you know anyone who would be interested?"

Hanako looked down, thinking. Mikaru looked up at him, though, smiling.

"... Well... I think that there are a few people at Yamaku who would be interested. There's a house-making course there, and a lot of the girls take that along with a business course. If you want, I could ask around, and see if you can pull anyone straight out of high school?"

He nodded his head, smiling at the idea.

"That sounds like a great idea, Mikaru. I was thinking about heading back to Tokyo again. I just couldn't leave this little shop, though. Too many memories. Ah, well. If I can get them trained well, then they could take over here, and I could do that in the City."

Hanako smiled at that, and Mikaru nodded his head at Oji.

"Sounds good, Oji. You take care now, okay? I'm heading out. Hanako, are you coming too, or did you want to hang around with Oji for a while longer?"

She nodded to him, and stepped around the counter. She hugged the man, and he hugged her back with a surprised chuckle.

"G- Goodbye, Oji..."

He smiled, nodding his head into her shoulder.

"Take care of my boy, you hear? Goodbye, Hana-Chan. You come back now, you hear?"

He spoke that last bit to both of them, shaking his fist with a smile. They nodded, chuckling as they left the shop and started walking again. Hanako grabbed his arm again, and put her head on it like she had when they first went out together, to the Shanghai. Mikaru smiled at her finding her equilibrium again, and started speaking.

"... You know, you have a really good sense for that. When you were talking about what Oji needed to do, I was thinking the same thing."

She looked up at him, blushing at that.

"You... you think so...?"

He nodded at her. Of course, when a billionaire businessman tells you that you have good business sense, you'd be a damned fool not to listen.

"I've been... taking those courses, you know..."

He looked at her, raising his brow.

"You think you're interested in taking over Oji's shop?"

She looked up at him for a moment, before looking out in front of them, blushing as she spoke.

"W-Well... You said, that... that... You wanted to stay... somewhere q-_quiet, _and... and you like this place, so... I-I mean, you... you _do _like it... here... right?"

He laughed at that, nodding his head.

"- Right now? Absolutely. Especially over in the town. It wouldn't be that much of a stretch for me to get a place somewhere in the middle, I suppose. I just think that it would be a pain in the ass, having to try and get my license again. I didn't do so well last time, on account of..."

He raised his arms up to her, and she actually laughed at that. The two of them turned the corner, and Hanako spoke.

"Y-You know, For a... a businessman like... like yourself, you seem to be... missing a large o-opportunity here..."

He frowned at that, looking ahead.

"- What do you mean?"

She looked up at him, speaking. Her voice was very quiet, and Mikaru imagined that if they weren't alone, then he wouldn't be able to hear her.

"Your company... only makes... computers... you could... make... other things, too..."

He was quiet at that. He hadn't even considered expanding his business in that way. But a car? Or at least something new that could be added to a car? Damn, sometimes he wondered how he even managed most days.

"... Uh... Wow. You're right, Hanako. _Shit._"

She looked up at him, completely surprised at the admission. She hadn't really expected to get an answer to that, and certainly not like that. She smiled anyway, though, as they reached their destination and took a seat out in the corner. A waitress came up to them then, smiling as she looked between the two. Hanako had her head turned from the woman, but the woman did notice the scarring on her hand.

"Hey there, you two! I haven't seen you here before. Would you like anything today?"

Mikaru smiled at the woman, nodding his head.

"Sure. Can I get a sandwich, or something like that?"

She looked him over for a moment before speaking with a mixture of tact, conspiracy and hesitance.

"Well... we get a lot of people from Yamaku here, so we've started serving wrap sandwiches, which are basically our sandwiches but served in something called a tortilla. Would you like one...?"

He smiled, nodding his head.

"A wrap? I had no idea that they were served around here. I'd freaking love that right now. Could I also get... Sweet tea? With a straw?"

She smiled, nodding her head and taking it down. She then looked to Hanako, who was looking incredibly tense.

"You want the same thing, Miss?"

She nodded her head, her eyes a little wide. Mikaru put his arm across the table, and Hanako's hands greedily wrapped around it, staring at the appendage and taking a few deep breaths. The Waitress smiled at them, and spoke a bit.

"- Oh you two are so _cute _together! I'll be back shortly."

He nodded at her, smiling for her sake. She left then, and Hanako seemed to relax a little. Mikaru smiled at her, speaking.

"Hey Hanako, why don't we talk about that Idea you had, about my business?"

She nodded her head, and brought his phone out of her pocket. She then pressed the screen a few times, before drawing something. As she did, Mikaru turned around, seeing Lilly and Hisao walking around happily. He waved to Hisao, who looked at him and smiled, stopping them. He then turned back to Hanako, seeing her finish.

"You could... do something like this..."

He looked down, seeing a steering wheel, straps on it, and a little bearing mechanism on the inside of the straps. He smiled at it, seeing how it would work.

"I like that, Hanako. That's very practical, and would be good in almost any car. I could probably get one of my computer systems into a car, so it could help you drive with your voice."

She smiled at that, nodding her head.

"That's smart... you could... stretch your work... and make more off of it..."

He nodded at her, seeing Lilly and Hisao sit down by them. Lilly was smiling happily, and Hisao was looking at them, a little confused.

"- Hey guys. What are you working on?"

Mikaru smiled, crossing his arms and speaking cheekily.

"- Us? Oh, Hanako here was just giving me some business advice."

Hisao looked at her, chuckling.

"- Really? What was that advice?"

He smiled, speaking.

"I'm thinking about expanding my business into accessibility for automobiles. Probably an SUV or something, with a larger steering wheel, adjustable pedals, and voice-compatibility. I could probably take it to Nissan, or something..."

Hanako and Hisao were both looking at him, a little shocked.

"- Really? That's a big step. Like, really big."

He nodded, speaking.

"I just need to give a call to my engineers, and maybe put out a few new job postings. Shouldn't be too hard, really. Now, for Nissan..."

He dragged his phone over to himself, before speaking to Siri. After a few moments, a voice came up, speaking.

"Hello, there. Can I help you today?"

He smiled, speaking.

"Hello there. Kanasu Mikaru, from AttainableTech? I was calling to see if the boss was in today. I have a business proposition for him, if he's interested."

The line went silent for a few moments, before the secretary came back on.

"- I see you here on the preferred list, Mister Kanasu. He's out at the moment, but I'll get him to call you back when he has the time."

"- Of course. Thank you for your time."

He saw Hanako hang up on the woman, and he smiled.

"Well, that's that. If he's interested, then he'll call back later. If not, then I'll just go to someone else."

They nodded at him, and Lilly spoke.

"Mikaru, I've been meaning to ask you. I can't find too much about your company, since it's privately owned. How is it doing?"

He smiled at the gentle prod, speaking.

"Very well, Lilly. In Canadian dollars, because my company is Canadian, technically, I have made well over 40 billion."

She nodded, blushing a bit but not doubting it for a moment. After about a minute longer, the waitress walked back to them, carrying their things. She saw the two new people, and smiled at them.

"- Hello there, Lilly. Would you like anything? What about you, Hisao?"

Hisao smiled, speaking.

"Do you think I could have a coffee?"

Lilly frowned at him, but it went away quickly as she spoke.

"I would like... Mikaru, did you hear about the wrap sandwiches here? I'd like one of those, please. Maybe some water, as well?"

She smiled at her, taking it down before heading back to another table. Mikaru took a sip of the tea, smiling at it's flavour before he picked up his wrap and took a bite. Being able to feed himself something so delicious was immensely pleasing, and he relished the sensation of independence it gave him. Hanako was giggling a bit at the display, and he snickered a bit as he swallowed.

"- What? Can't a guy eat good food anymore?"

They laughed at that, and settled into pleasant conversation for the next thirty minutes.

* * *

><p>Eating was finished quickly, and after that they started looking around, walking together until they saw a building that made most of them smile. Well, they all did, but Mikaru was a little less that pleased despite his face. It was an Arcade, and he, for obvious reasons, did not go well with those anymore. Almost every single game there required hands, maybe besides DDR if you had a partner. A few others as well, but that was besides the point.<p>

... Hanako and Lilly smiled, though, speaking.

"Hey you guys, do you want to go in there?"

Hanako was speaking excitedly, and Mikaru just _couldn't _tell her no. So, they went in, and Lilly immediately walked over to the front counter, speaking with one of the attendants. He smiled at her, nodding his head and leading them through to a room in the back. He let them in, and Mikaru was just as surprised as Hisao to see a small room, with a couch and Karaoke. He smiled at that, though, and walked in happily.

"Karaoke... Oh _god... _I'm going to have to _sing, _aren't I?"

Mikaru chuckled at Hisao, nodding his head.

"If Lilly sings, then Hanako will to. If Hanako is singing, then I have to as well, and dammit, I'm _not _giving you a free show! You should go first, though."

He chuckled at that, nodding his head.

"- Fine! As long as Hanako sings, I'll do it. And you, for that matter."

He nodded his head, turning to the girls.

"So... Guys first? Our treat?"

They both smiled widely at that, nodding excitedly. Hanako practically carried Lilly across the room, running to the couch and sitting them down. She was _really _excited to see Mikaru sing. Lilly was too, but the prospect of hearing Hisao was why she was excited.

Hisao then went up to the machine, frowning. Mikaru pointed his stub at one of the songs there, winking at his friend. He smiled at it, seeing that he knew the song fairly well, and actually sung it in the shower a few times. He picked it, and then Mikaru sat off to the side, closing his eyes and bowing his head with his arms crossed in front of him. Hanako noted that he never really did that before, and seeing him relax like that was something completely new and special to her. After a moment, her attention was drawn to Hisao, who took a deep breath and started singing. He wasn't the best, but he had heart, and managed to make both of the girls laugh at his stage antics.

The song itself wasn't anything too flashy, just a normal pop ballad, but he was singing it strongly, and it paid off. When it was over, the three of them clapped to him, with Mikaru banging his stubs together to mimic the motion. Hisao bowed deeply then, smiling and staying on the stage as Mikaru walked up. He looked over the songs there, before he noticed one that intrigued him. He had heard it a few times, and wanted to try his hand at singing it. He pointed it, then pointed to another setting. Hisao then saw the song's name play in English, and Mikaru walked up to the microphone, taking a deep breath and looking out at them.

He kept a smile on his face as he began, the song testing his range considerably. However, he still remembered how to sing, thanks to his mother's insistence on learning. So, it was with practised ease and deep concentration that he performed for his friends, for the first time in over 3 years. As he did, Hanako was looking at him, completely entranced with a smile on her face that made him soar. After four minutes, the song ended suddenly, and the others clapped at him happily. Lilly stood up next, and performed a piece in English that made Mikaru smile. He tapped his foot along to it as he sat down beside Hanako, who was resting against him and smiling. Near the end of the song, though, she started to tense up. He looked down at her, before he leaned down to her ear and spoke as quietly as he could. Thanks to the music and the singing, he went unheard by the others.

"Relax, Hanako. You're going to do amazing, I know it. No pressure, just go up there and be happy. Have fun. As long as you're having fun, you can't go wrong."

She smiled, nodding her head at him. As she did, the song ended and Mikaru clapped for her, keeping his eyes on Hanako. As he did, Akira walked into the room, smiling as Hanako stood up and walked over to the stage. She looked at the list of songs before picking one of the few ones she knew that were in English, before turning to the monitor and looking at it.

_Mikaru closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and smiled. He smiled the whole time, like it was his job at first. As he heard our reaction, the smile became real. I should try that as well._

She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. As she did, she saw Mikaru's figure, hunched over the microphone with a smile. She smiled at that, and opened her eyes as the music begun. When she started singing, she looked straight at him, her confidence building as he smiled at her. After a minute, she started looking to the others, who wore the same smile. She cleared up considerably at that, and by the end of the song she was completely confident in herself. She stepped down, smiling as the others clapped for her and Akira walked onto the stage, snickering as a rock and roll song from the US came on. Hanako sat down with Mikaru, who put his arm around her and smiled, closing his eyes.

For the rest of the hour, they took turns at the stage, sometimes coming up in pairs. When they finished, they all left the Arcade happily, walking outside and stretching in the afternoon air.

"That was great, you guys. So... what do you want to do now?"

Mikaru looked at the setting sun, smiling to himself and speaking out.

"I think it's time we hit the pub. Er, I mean, the Jazz club. Sorry, old habits die hard..."

They chuckled at his Canadian slip, walking towards the club as Akira spoke.

"So, Mikaru. You dance at all? You were a wizard on the stage..."

He smiled, nodding his head.

"- I do. Well, at least, I _think_ I do. Hanako hasn't complained yet, and the club isn't playing pop or anything like that. Why do you ask?"

She looked over to Hanako then, smiling.

"Me? Oh, I was wondering if I could steal a dance with him from you, Hanako. I'd get it if you didn't want him to, but it's been a long time for me, and I _rarely _get to dance with people taller than me."

She looked at him then, hard. Hanako was trying to decide if she could manage seeing him dancing with Akira. After a moment, though, Mikaru spoke.

"- I'd probably have to dance with Hanako first, you understand. You know, _bro code _and all. I'd be willing to do it, if Hanako was all right with that?"

He looked down to her, seeing her smiling.

"You'll dance with me... first?"

He nodded, smiling again. After pondering it for a moment, she nodded her head, smiling.

"I've only ever... been the one, doing the... the dancing. It would be... nice, i think, to see.. see how he dances with... with someone else..."

Akira smiled, nodding her head.

"- Great! You'll make sure I don't fall over or anything, Right Mikaru?"

He nodded, smiling.

"- You bet. We're almost there, I think."

* * *

><p>About 40 minutes later, the sun was setting in the distance, and they were, in fact, there. They walked in as a group, before they found a few things to divert themselves. Mikaru looked over to the band playing in the back, smiling as they started an older song called 'Crazy'. He brought Hanako immediately to the dance floor, and put his arm on her waist and shoulder as he started swaying. She smiled up at him, dancing along and just letting herself go. The song was slow, and the singing was decidedly romantic. Her voice was very, very good, and she was singing the English words perfectly.<p>

As she danced, Hanako started to feel much, much more comfortable, and let herself relax into him as she closed her eyes. She almost laughed when she heard his heart beating in time to the music, but that was to be expected, she supposed. All too soon, she realized, the song was over, and she looked up at him with a smile. He smiled as well, looking over to the band and speaking.

"- Do you know 'Moondance'?"

They nodded, smiling widely at him as the band started playing. Hanako smiled at the upbeat song, feeling him pick up the pace in their dancing. She held onto his arms as he spun them around, listening to the song as it picked up during the Chorus. She started giggling as they worked through it, having a great time. After three more minutes of dancing, the song ended, and she came to rest in his arms. The crowd of patrons and dancers clapped at the band, and they did a slight bow as they moved into another piece. Hanako moved with him off of the dance floor, heading to the front to grab a drink. As she did, he walked over to Hisao and the others, who were all smiling at him.

"Did Hanako enjoy herself?"

Lilly was looking in his direction expectantly, and he nodded his head for the others as he answered her.

"She sure _seemed _to. She liked when the dance picked up, that's for sure. The first dance was a good song to get warmed up with, because it let her get comfortable. Hisao, will you be dancing tonight?"

He smiled, looking around a bit.

"I don't know, Mikaru. It looks a little intense for me..."

He laughed, saying the first thing that came to his mind.

"- So should I dance with _both _Satou women tonight? Don't want anyone getting left out, after all..."

They shared a slight chuckle at that as Hanako took a seat, looking at them with a frown.

"Hey... what's so... so funny?"

Hisao looked over to her, smiling.

"- Well, Mikaru asked me if I was going to dance as well. I said no, so he joked that he might have to dance with Akira _and _Lilly, just to make it fair."

She giggled at that, nodding her head.

"I don't think that you should dance with her, Mikaru. Maybe... when a slow song comes on, Hisao can... do it then?"

He smiled nodding his head as he spoke.

"If Lilly wants to dance then, I'd do it."

She blushed then, looking down with a smile.

"I... I don't know... I've never danced before... What if we hit someone?"

He put a hand on her wrist, speaking.

"Please, Lilly, _I _wouldn't let us smack into someone like that. Besides, it's a slow dance. We could do it, you know. What do you say?"

She smiled wider, nodding.

"I think... I think that would be good, Hisao..."

Akira smiled, clapping her hands.

"- Good! Now that you've all taken care of your dance partners, Mikaru, the next song is on soon!"

He nodded, standing up.

"Well, I guess that means that we're on soon as well, Akira. See you in a bit, Hanako?"

She nodded, smiling as she turned around in her seat, watching them as they moved onto the dance floor. When the next song came on, an especially boisterous one, she laughed a bit as he launched into it. From across the room, Hanako smiled as she saw the way he used his arms to direct the flow of the dance, shifting her body around with the slightest of touches. She didn't realize that he had been doing that with her, but now that she was seeing it from outside, she figured it out. _It's like he's teaching his partner how to move as they go..._

Meanwhile, Akira was very amused at this turn of events. The song went a little quieter then, and she leaned into him, speaking in English.

"You know, I'm trying my hardest here, but this is just too weird for me."

He laughed quietly at that, nodding his head.

"Yeah, I hear that. I don't think I would have _ever _imagined myself in this position until today. Hanako's enjoying herself, though, so I guess that's all that matters."

She smiled at that, nodding her head. _At least he's got his priorities straight..._

"... Yeah... I guess you're right."

They danced a little more, until the song came to an end, and a slow dance started that _neither _of them wanted to be a part of. They passed Lilly and Hisao as they walked over, both of them laughing softly at the prospect of doing this thing. They then sat down at the table, where Hanako looked at them strangely.

"- Hey, Hanako. Enjoying yourself?"

She nodded, but then stilled, speaking.

"You two... looked... good, together..."

Akira smiled, nodding her head as she spoke quietly.

"- It's just the dance, Hanako. It's really easy to get comfortable with someone when you're dancing with them. You kind of have to, or else it doesn't work. Mikaru's just really good at making people feel comfortable, is all. From what I saw, you two looked _way _better together than we did."

She smiled, blushing as she looked down in embarrassment. Mikaru just laughed at that, nodding his head and speaking.

"- Thanks, Akira. Hey, let's spy on Hisao."

They all turned to the dance floor, seeing Lilly resting her head on his shoulder. She had a wide smile on her face as she did, and Hisao just kept his eyes closed most of the time, spinning them in a circle. For her benefit, he was also swaying them back and forth, letting her feel like they were really dancing together, and not just spinning in place. Mikaru noted with an impressed nod that he was very good at keeping them in the same space. The other dancers had given them a little bit of a berth, seeing her eyes as they passed over them passively.

After the song ended, they settled down at the table, then ordered some food.

* * *

><p>It was cramped, but Akira had managed to take them all home in her car. Mikaru was in the front, of course, since he was the largest one there. Hanako and Lilly were both on the sides of the car, and Hisao was in the middle, smiling as he felt both of the girls resting on him. Mikaru then turned his attention to the front, speaking quietly to Akira.<p>

"Thanks for doing this for us, Akira. It really means a lot to her, seeing us all get along like this."

She nodded her head, the faintest of smiles working over her face. After that, the rest of the hour-long car ride passed in silence until they managed to make it back to Yamaku. Akira parked her car outside, then smirked as she woke the others from their slumber, speaking conspiratorially.

"Hey, guys... While you were at Karaoke, I picked up a little something. Wanna sneak it onto the campus?"

Lilly turned her head to her sister, smiling almost evilly. Hisao and Hanako both just looked a little confused, but Mikaru was also smiling.

"- If we make it back to the Guy's Dormitories without being noticed, we can pull it out in my room. It's the largest, I think. Hisao? Thoughts?"

He looked at him, realization coming over his face as he smiled.

"- That's awesome. We should do it."

Hanako just followed them along as they moved into the Dorms, sneaking into Mikaru's room and sitting down. Akira was impressed at his setup, looking around with a bit of mirth that while it was definitely classy, it still had that distinct Teenager vibe to it, but she couldn't really place what it was. Maybe it was the sheer ridiculousness of it all, and how utterly perfect and dreamlike it all fit together. Maybe it was the all-black theme he had going on, which was utterly destroyed by the white Mini-fridge. Wait, Mini-Fridge?

He smiled at her, seeing her attention completely locked to the small device in the corner. He then reached into a cupboard in the back, pulling out a few glasses and setting them out on top of it. She reached behind her, pulling out her picks and placing them on the table in front of her.

"- What's in the fridge?"

He looked back to her, smiling.

"- Oh, little bit of this, little bit of that. You know, _life stuff. _You want some?"

She looked at him a little funny until he pulled out a bottle of scotch, showing her. She smiled at the drink, chuckling and nodding her head. The others tried the wine, and enjoyed it greatly.

She was feeling the burn move down her throat when Hanako giggled, poking Mikaru in the side and getting him to spasm. The others laughed at that, and he started chuckling after a moment. After that, they started talking about anything and everything they could, until the hours slipped away and Akira stood up, smiling.

"I should get going now. I'll see you all later?"

They nodded, laughing at her as she left the room and closed the door behind her. After she left, the others drank a little more, before Hisao looked at Lilly and frowned.

"I think I... I drank a little too much... Lilly, can you walk?"

She nodded, standing up and grabbing him around the waist.

"- Yes, but not far. We should go... to your room... *Hic*"

They stood up, barely even saying goodbye. When they were gone, Hanako smiled at Mikaru, who was genuinely buzzed at this point. She snuggled into his side, and he held her around the waist, looking up at nothing.

"Mik..._ru... _we should... _sleep..."_

She got up unsteadily, feeling him grab her with his arms almost a little too tight. They then headed over to the bed, and lied down in it. After a few minutes, they were completely passed out.

* * *

><p>End of Chapter Thirty - Two: Behind These Bars, A Party to Forget!<p>

Next time: Chapter Thirty - Three: Behind These Bars, Business as Usual!


	33. Chapter 33

**Chapter Thirty: Behind These Bars, Business as Usual!  
><strong>

* * *

><p>Mikaru got up early, stretching and feeling his head pound. He decided though, that before he took a shower, that he would go out and get some exercise in. So, it was with that he stood up form the bed, grabbed his gear, and moved for the roof. He walked through the field of grass, looking around as the pale light barely swooped in overhead. As he looked though, he saw an unusual sight.<p>

By the gate, an older woman with slightly greying black hair, small shoulders, and a moderate build looked around, frowning slightly. He smiled, walking over to the woman and speaking.

'Hey there, Stranger. You looking for some help?'

She looked to the hulking boy, and scrunched her eyes together as if to get a better look at him. He made it to her, and she looked him over as she spoke.

'Oh, well... hello, there. I've been here before, but I just... I don't quite seem to remember where to go. Do you think that you could help me find someone?'

He smiled, speaking then.

'- Who are you looking for?'

The woman looked up to him, speaking.

'... Ikezawa Hanako?'

He smiled, nodding his head.

'Her? That's easy – she's asleep. You must be Miss Yukimura. She should be up in a little while, though, and would also probably come find me. I'll be on the roof. You can wait there, if you want?'

She shrugged, following him. He walked her through the halls and up to the roof, before he set his things down and opened the bag with some trouble. As he did, Yukimura couldn't help but stare at his lack of hands, but was a little more flabbergasted at the things he pulled out of the bag. He used his teeth to flip the levers, snapping the gear into place before standing up, speaking.

'Hey, I'm sorry if this makes you uncomfortable at all.'

His sweater had come off at some point. When exactly that was, she couldn't really tell, but the young man in front of her was EXTREMELY well-built, from what she could tell. She watched the man as he set into a stance, and then moved through a series of Kata, changing up his routine a bit every 6 minutes. As he worked, she couldn't help but start talking to him.

'How often do you do this? It looks like you've been at this for years.'

He looked her way as he spun around swiftly, looking away and forward as he spoke.

'I do this as often as possible. At most, once every other day. It's hard work, but it's payed off for me so far.'

She nodded, seeing him finish a Kata before bending low, sliding his feet across the gravel and start striking. As he did, the door opened, and Hanako walked onto the roof, looking at him and then to Miss Yukimura.

'H-Hi there, Miss Yukimura...'

She smiled at the girl, seeing her walk over to the bench and sit down beside her. As she did, the man put his things into the bag again, and came out wearing them again with different ends on them. He then walked over to the stairwell, getting down and doing push ups.

'How have you been, Hanako?'

Hanako smiled at the woman, speaking.

'I've been... really good...'

She smiled at that widely, speaking.

'I'm sorry I missed your birthday yesterday, Hanako. I meant to be here again, but I had an emergency at work.'

Hanako shook her head, her smile widening as she spoke.

'It's... It's fine, Miss Yukimura. I... I hung out with some f-friends, instead...'

She smiled, crossing her knees and speaking to her.

'You did? How was it?'

She looked over to the boy as he worked, now switching to a different exercise.

'It was... nice... we didn't make a big... a big deal out of it... we played chess, and saw Oji-Sama, and -'

The woman's face looked between her and the boy, before she looked back, smiling.

'- Oji-Sama? Is that man over there your boyfriend?'

She blushed, looking down and nodding once. Yukimura chuckled at that, speaking.

'Well, I'm glad you had such a good day, Hanako. I've been... Well, I've been very worried about you. I know that you don't really need me anymore, but I was concerned that you would never find the happiness that you deserve. He makes you happy, then?'

She nodded again, this time a little more forcefully. He walked past them then, taking his gear off before stretching his arms over his head, then looking back to Hanako.

'Hey, Hanako. How did you sleep?'

She smiled, blushing a bit before she spoke.

'I – I slept... P-pretty... good... you?'

He smiled, kneeling down on the gravel in front of the two and speaking.

'Me? I slept like a rock. I was surprised to see myself up so soon, actually. So, Miss Yukimura, how do you know Hanako?'

She spoke then, looking at him.

'I work with Child and Youth services, in Tokyo. I have been Hanako's case manager since she was given to us.'

He nodded, looking down at his arms, and frowning a little.

'Oh... I really have to start taping up more... Hanako, can you give me a hand with this?'

Yukimura was a little mortified when she noticed that he was bleeding that whole time, but Hanako was mostly unphased at the sight, standing up and leading him over to his bag. She noted then just how many scars his arms had on them, and walked over to them as Hanako put Peroxide on his arms, then bandaged them.

'You have a lot of scars on your arms. What caused them?'

Hanako froze up at that, but Mikaru simply looked at the woman, speaking flatly.

'Oh, I was in Juvenile Hall for a while. Nothing I actually did, though. I was the biggest. Comes with the territory.'

She nodded, noting that multiple cases like that were not entirely uncommon in her line of work.

'- Your being foreign must not have helped you, either.'

He nodded, managing to get the large bag onto his shoulders on his own this time.

'- Not in the slightest, ma'am. I got tougher, though. It stopped that after about a year or so. It's funny, apparently you know my mom's boyfriend...?'

She thought about it, then smiled.

'Oh, you mean Nanami Ryou? I didn't know his girlfriend had a son – wait. You're... Michael Souta?'

He nodded his head at the woman. She looked at him for a moment before speaking.

'... I should probably be going now. Have a good day, Hanako. You too, mister... mister Souta.'

She stepped past them then, walking through the door and heading down the stairs. Hanako frowned at the sudden disappearance, and it was not lost on Mikaru, either. They decided not to dwell on it, though. Together, they walked away, and headed to their separate dorms, to prepare for the day.

Meanwhile, Yukimura was frowning deeply as she walked. _This is... what am I supposed to do? What am I supposed to tell Shinji?_

* * *

><p>Mikaru returned back to the class, taking a seat in his chair for the first time in what felt like a month. He couldn't believe what had happened to him since he arrived here at Yamaku. Before he could think much on it, though, Misha walked up to him, smiling.<p>

'Mikachan! It's been so long! How are you?'

He smiled at the girl, speaking.

'I am very good, thanks. I went to see some of my family in Tokyo, and I also started working out again. I'm a little out of shape.'

Misha chuckled at that, shaking her head.

'What? Nonsense! You're just as yummy-looking as ever! Whahahaha!'

He snickered, looking down and shaking his head. She looked away for a moment, before looking back and smiling.

'- Mikachan, Shizune wanted to say that she's happy that you're back with us, and wanted to know what being in second place was like?'

He chuckled at that, looking to her and speaking.

'- Shizune, I finished all of the work that was assigned to me. I'm doing my make-up tests over the next two days. I wasn't skipping for a week or anything, this was a special circumstance.'

Misha frowned at the larger word, but signed it out to her anyway. Shizune smirked at him, then signed back to her friend.

Shizune: [Mikaru's only been getting lucky so far! There's no way he can miss so many consecutive lectures and still get better grades than us!]

Misha blanched a bit, before she turned to Shizune and signing back.

Misha: {Shizune, you really don't give him enough credit. I spoke with Yukko, and she says that he actually works really hard at what he does, and that he's actually much smarter than you originally thought.}

Shizune: [Put it away, Misha. I refuse to believe a giant lout like him, much less any man, is truly smarter than a woman. I'm sorry, it's just not possible.]

He sighed then, putting his head on the desk exasperatedly. Misha and Shizune both looked over to him, before he looked back up at them and spoke.

'- I'm sorry, I can't do this anymore. Misha, can you please tell Shizune that I understand sign? This is killing me now. Also, tell her that I made every single yen I have, and that it's enough for me to pay for five people to never work again?'

She looked at him, completely shocked, as her hands moved idly at her side.

Misha: {Mikaru told me to tell you that he's been able to understand sign this whole time, and that he's made every single Yen he has. He also said that it was enough for him to pay for five people to never work again.}

Shizune, never to believe in happenstance, looked directly at him and signed.

Shizune: [You don't understand sign. You can never be smarter than me! I am the Queen of this entire school! OF EVERYTHING!]

He looked seriously at Misha, speaking.

'Quote: You don't understand sign. You can never be smarter than me. I am the Queen of this entire school. Of everything.'

She turned Shizune around to face her, and signed what he said to her. Shizune deflated at that, looking at him with a glare before taking her seat.

Mikaru turned his attention forward as Mutou stepped into the classroom, speaking out.

'Hello again, class. Unfortunately for _some of us, _there's a quiz today. I sincerely hope that you've studied the material.'

Shizune looked back to him with a feral grin, and Mikaru just took the paper on his desk, fishing a pen out of a small satchel on his side and set to work. He took a little longer than anyone else, but in the end he managed to finish, and handed it in to the teacher. Mutou looked over the almost neat work before looking up to him, frowning.

'... Oh? That's odd. I was under the impression you didn't study. My mistake, Mister Kanasu. Please, take a – wait a moment.'

He looked over everything, put his eyes lingered over the top of the page for along while. After a while, he looked up, speaking.

'You did an excellent job. Can you please come see me after class?'

He nodded, taking a seat again. After that, he went through the class and remained seated as the rest of them left. Hanako lingered at his desk a moment, and he smiled at her before turning away and looking out the window. She left then, and when the door closed, Mutou got up quickly and walked over to him. He took a chair from another desk and sat down, looking at him.

'Souta... Look at me.'

He did, and Mutou looked him over for a while. After what felt like forever, the man spoke.

'... You deserve to know. You saved my sister. Thank you for that.'

He frowned at him, leaning forward and speaking lowly.

'- Excuse me?'

Mutou looked at him right back, looking a mixture between sad and disappointed.

'You heard me.'

He looked at him for a moment before standing up, walking out of the classroom. Of all the things he had expected from Mutou... that wasn't one of them. He walked over to the forest, taking a few steps into it before breaking out into a run. He ran for a while until he reached the clearing, looking at the sweater that rested on the wounded tree. He walked up to it, raising his stump to it before looking at that, instead. He brought his other one up, feeling his blood boil and freeze, over and over again, as he tried to comprehend what was happening to him.

_Mutou's sister. After all these years, and... That woman's brother taught me since the first day I properly rejoined society. I lost 5 years because she stayed quiet. I lost the ability to play music. I lost my mother. My family. I had to change my name. I lost everything, because that man's sister couldn't..._

He wanted to hit it. He wanted to hit this tree so, _so _bad...

... But he didn't. He didn't hit the tree. He didn't hit anything. Instead, he fell forward onto his knees, feeling tears he didn't know he had falling from his eyes. He stared down at the ground and the sight of his scarred, useless arms, seeing them mingle together. He felt wrong. He felt a thousand things at once right now, and none of them were good.

He didn't know how long he stayed there. It hadn't even begun to get dark when he heard rustling in the trees, and Hisao found him in the same position he had fallen to earlier. He stopped at the edge there, seeing the man as he slumped forward, looking absolutely dead to the world, and felt his heart hurting. It wasn't because of the usual problems, but more because of the whole thing he was seeing.

Hisao, though, knew what he had to do.

Hisao walked over to his friend, getting down on his knees. He looked over the blossoms around him, all through the beautiful grove, and closed his eyes. After a little while, he felt himself completely calm inside, and just waited. After an indeterminable amount of time, he felt a stub on his arm, and pulled himself back. It was nighttime then, and Mikaru was just sitting on the ground, hugging his knees to his chest.

'- Hey, Mikaru. You feeling any better now?'

He shook his head, speaking out into nothing.

'I... I can't really talk about it.'

Hisao nodded, speaking.

'- That's fine. You don't have to explain yourself all the time. I just wanted to know if you felt any better than you did when you got here.'

Mikaru sighed, turning to him and speaking.

'- No. Not in the slightest. I'm worried, Hisao. How am I supposed to be good enough for Hanako if I can't even keep my _own _head on straight?'

Hisao frowned at that, speaking quickly.

'Mikaru, why do we keep coming here? You know you're good enough for her. You're the main reason that she's doing so well right now. You're a good guy. I know that, she knows that, and pretty much everyone else that really knows you knows that as well. Besides. This time, it's nothing to be worried about. I told her that you and I had plans today, and forgot to tell her. I went to town then, and she stayed behind. Her, Lilly, Carla and Mikki hung out at Carla's, talking about some sort of surprise for you. They wouldn't say much about it, but all I know is that they think that nothing is wrong. So, you're clear, at least for now.'

'Hisao, you lied to Hanako about me?'

Hisao looked over at him, and smiled.

'No. I didn't lie to her. We really did have plans today. We just didn't know it yet. And I actually went to town, as well. I got a little pick me up for us.'

Mikaru managed to laugh at that, shaking his head.

'... Okay, Hisao. You win. Just this time, though. I don't want you to make a habit out of manipulating the truth like that, okay?'

He nodded, smiling.

'Okay. No more truth manipulation. Wouldn't want to put you out of a job, now would I?'

He smiled at that fully, laughing as he stood up, looking up to the sky and speaking quietly.

'... Mutou told me that he knows the woman from my past.'

Hisao frowned, looking at him.

'What woman? Is this about your hands?'

Mikaru looked over at him.

'You mean, I didn't _tell you _already? Oh. Well, me and my mum got in a fight when I was 13. I stormed out, and went wandering around downtown Tokyo for a while. I stumbled across a woman getting raped, and I stepped in to stop it. Only, as soon as I did, It wasn't just one guy anymore. It was thirteen. Twelve of them, and the ringleader. They slashed me to ribbons, and then the rapist cut my hands off. The woman had run away during the time I was getting cut up, and I never... I never saw her again. When the trial happened, Akira's grandfather was a lawyer hired by the rapist to defend him. I was charged with various things, including the rape, and then I was sent to Juvy when I healed up enough. Mutou told me today that he knows who the woman was.'

Hisao shook his head, speaking.

'- But I'm _not_ talking about that last bit, am I Mikaru?'

Mikaru nodded his head.

'She didn't... she never came forward, after that. I never really knew why. Personally, I thought the man that got me thrown away killed her later, to keep her from talking. But Mutou _knows _her. Present. She's alive. But there has to be a reason it happened like that, so you can't talk about it. To anyone. This is between me, him and her, and that's how it needs to stay.'

Hisao nodded, spurning him along.

'- come on. Let's head back.'

* * *

><p>They walked together for 20 minutes until they came out to the road. As they did, Mikaru's phone rang, and he picked up.<p>

_'Hello? Is this Kanasu Mikaru, the owner of AttainableTech? I heard that you have a proposition for me of some sort.'_

He smiled, speaking.

'I do. You're the CEO of Nissan, correct?'

_'Yes.'_

'Good. I wanted to know if you were interested in having me design some tech for you, to put into your cars as an option. I had a few designs, as well as some software that would be excellent for making your vehicles more accessible.'

The line was silent for a moment, before the man came back on the line.

'That could be arranged. If you could write up your designs and send them to my secretary, as well as show me a demonstration of the kind of software you had in mind, we could work some sort of deal out.'

Mikaru smiled wider at that.

'- Great. You'll have it within the month. Goodbye, sir. Please hang up.'

The man chuckled at the last bit, but did it anyway. After he did, Mikaru turned to Hisao, filling him in.

'- CEO of Nissan. Interested in my work. Called me back, told me to get something done for him. I've got some research to do. See you later?'

He smiled, nodding his head. As they made it to the front gate, a truck pulled up, and a man stepped out of it, looking hard at Mikaru.

'... Mister Souta, sir?'

He walked up to him smiling, putting his arm out to Hisao. Hisao stopped, watching as Mikaru walked up to him.

'These those parts I asked for?'

He smiled, nodding his head.

'- Great. Let's get them up to my room then, ne?'

He smiled, nodding his head.

'- Of course, sir. I just need to grab it from the back for you.'

He walked around the truck, pulling out some stuff on a Dolly. He wheeled it off of the truck slowly, then closed the back and locked it in place.

'Hey, Mikaru? Do you mind if I take off, and leave the rest to you? You have me written in for three more deliveries this week, and I gotta hit the road. I'll pick up the Dolly on the way back?'

He smiled, nodding his head.

'- Sure thing, Ichirou. Have a good trip. Thanks for all of your hard work, by the way. I'm giving you a raise. Also, that vacation you were looking for? You got it. Enjoy yourself.'

He smiled at his boss, shaking his stump and smiling.

'Thanks, Mister Souta. You're a really great boss.'

He walked away at that, whistling a happy tune as he got back into his truck, and drove away. Hisao looked at him a little funny, and Mikaru smiled.

'- This is Hanako's belated Birthday present. Don't tell her about it. Do you think you could help me with this?'

He chuckled, nodding his head. After they got it up to the room, Mikaru laid out all of the gear on the floor, and beckoned Hisao over. Hisao did so, and he spoke.

"Okay, Hisao. This is it. You ready to become a nerd?"

Hisao smiled, nodding his head.

"- Okay, Mikaru. Let's open this stuff up, then."

They unpackaged all of the materials before Mikaru picked them apart, laying them out on the table and speaking.

"Hisao? This is hand work. You think I can convince you to help me out here?"

Hisao smiled, nodding his head and listening to Mikaru as he spoke. He was picking up parts, putting them together as Mikaru led him through the process of assembling a computer. Hisao was amazed at just how simple it really was, once you knew what you were looking at. They worked like this for two hours until finally, Hisao sealed the case for the laptop up, and Mikaru passed him a disk from his desk.

'Here, Hisao. Can you put that in?'

He nodded, popping the disk in and waiting. After a few minutes, scripts started flying over the screen, and a bar showed up. After that, Mikaru turned to Hisao, smiling.

'That was... that was actually pretty fun, Mikaru. I see why you like doing this, now. It's like building a model ship, or something.'

Mikaru smiled wider, nodding his head.

'- Exactly. You did a good job, Hisao. Why don't you grab my wallet for me? I'm paying you for the work.'

Hisao, who wasn't expecting to get paid for his help, smiled widely as he handed him the wallet. Mikaru then pulled out two 5,000 yen notes, and handed them to him.

'Here you are, Mister Nakai. Have a good night.'

Hisao smiled at the money, sliding it into his wallet and speaking.

'- Thanks, Mikaru. You really _are _a good boss...'

Hisao left then, and Mikaru spent the next few hours up, working on various things.

* * *

><p>Mikaru woke up the next morning at 7:15 to soft knocks on his door. He got up slowly, making sure that everything that needed to be was out of sight before he walked to the door, opening it to a smiling Hanako. He nodded at her, feeling exhausted for lack of sleep but happy to see her.<p>

'Good morning, Mikaru... You look really tired. Did you... did you stay up late last – last night?'

He nodded his head again, managing a slight smile before turning around, walking into his room. She followed him then, and closed the door behind him.

'Hey, Mikaru? I... I have a present for you. I want to give it to you, later today. Or, right... right now.'

He smiled at her, feeling himself wake up a little more. _A present from Hanako? What would she want to give to me?_

She looked at him expectantly after that, and it clicked for him.

'Oh! Let's do it... Let's do it now. I'm pretty excited about this.'

She smiled, seeing him grab his stuff before following her out. She was silent as she walked with him across the yard, towards the main building of Yamaku. She walked him in, and then turned right and walked a bit. Mikaru was a little lost until she stopped by the music room, opening the door and looking around. It was empty, thankfully. So, she pulled him in quickly, and locked the door. After that, she moved over to the front, and pulled out a chair for him. It was in the middle of the room, and he took a seat. He had no idea what was going on, but didn't argue or push about it. She then disappeared behind him, and he heard a bit of ruffling. After a few moments of silence, He heard Piano music from behind him, and smiled widely.

He turned slightly then, seeing her sitting at the piano, playing Arabesque no. 1 in her reflection. He watched her with complete fascination and joy as she played through the song, having perfected the intonation and pacing. In her reflection, he could see her complete focus and knowledge as she moved through the practiced motions, which were all exactly how he was taught to play the song. He closed his eyes then, and listened to the rest of the song. When it ended, she walked back up to him shyly, but smiled widely as he looked up at her.

'Hanako... thank you. That was beautiful. I never thought that... Thank you.'

She pulled him to his feet then, and felt him hug her tightly as his head moved to the side over her own. She felt him pull away after a minute of that, and then he walked to the door, seeing someone scurry away. He chuckled, looking down at Hanako as she unlocked and opened the door.

* * *

><p>They then walked to the Cafeteria, where Mikaru picked up some food before sitting down beside Hisao, who looked pretty tired himself but was also in high spirits this morning.<p>

'Hey, Hisao. What's up?'

Hanako then brought some food up to his mouth. He gratefully accepted, chewing it as he spoke.

'Me? Oh, nothing. Lilly spoke with me today, and was talking about a trip she was planning. It's to her family cottage... well, a cottage of sorts. It's on the upcoming break.'

He smiled at that, nodding his head.

'Sounds pretty fun. What do you plan on doing while you're there?'

Hanako giggled a bit, and fed him another bite, cutting him off.

'Mikaru... We would _all _be going... She does this every year...'

Hisao nodded at Hanako's words, speaking.

'Yeah, that's what... the... _plan, was..._'

Mikaru frowned as he turned in his chair, following his line of sight until he saw Mutou looking around at the mouth of the Cafeteria. Mikaru turned back, putting a smile on and speaking.

'- What's the matter, Hisao? You avoiding Mutou for some reason? He flunk you in a test, or something?'

Hisao looked at him for a moment before shaking his head and speaking.

'What? No, of course not. It's just the first time I've seen him here, is all. Hey, Hanako? I don't mean to be bossy or anything, but do you think you could find Emi and give her this? It's payback, for some money I borrowed a while back. She probably doesn't remember it, but just in case.'

Hanako took the money from him, nodding her head and standing up.

'I'll... see you in class, Mikaru...'

He nodded at her, smiling. When she walked away, Mikaru turned back to Hisao, who looked a little cross.

'- What's he doing here? Wait, better question. Mikaru, _what are you going to do?_'

Mikaru spoke instantly.

'I don't know, Hisao. Look, you don't know anything, remember? I'm going to go talk to him. That is, if he's looking for me.'

Mikaru stood up then, stretching a bit before walking towards the Exit, where Mutou was waiting. A few of the people there waved at him, and he waved right back as he passed. When he got up to where Mutou was, the man put his hand up to him subtly, and Mikaru looked at him.

'Will you be attending my class today?'

He nodded, and walked past him, speaking as he got close.

'No worries, Sensei. We'll talk more later.'

* * *

><p>After school had ended for the day, Mikaru stayed back, using his stubs to flick through some pages in a notebook. Misha walked up to him, but he smiled and spoke before she could.<p>

'- Hey, Misha. Mutou wanted to talk to me again after class today. He wouldn't tell me about what, though. You think I could swing by the dorm later, and say hi then?'

She smiled, nodding at the completely unexpected turn of events as well as the offer.

'- OKAY! See you, Mikachan!'

She turned around, skipping away happily. When she left, Mikaru stood up, and walked over to the window. Mutou stood beside him, and Mikaru spoke.

'... I lost 5 years of my life and my reputation because she stayed silent. I'm not stupid or insensitive, though. What happened to her was awful, and undoubtedly traumatic. I know that she's still alive. I just want an answer. Why? Why exactly didn't she come forward?'

Mutou was silent for a long time, but after a while, he spoke.

'... She never told me. I knew what had happened, and I even suspected it was you when you came here, but I didn't have anything to tell you at the time. It was better when you didn't know. It's not what you want to or even deserve to hear, but it's the truth.'

Mikaru sighed deeply at that, his arms coming up in front of him. However, before he could go anywhere dark with his thoughts, Hanako's gift returned to his mind, and he dropped them.

'... I should go, Sensei. Domo.'

He turned then, collecting his things and heading out the door. He walked a few paces before he saw Hanako, waiting by a locker. He smiled at her, and offered her his arm.

'- Here, Hanako. I have a gift for you, too. It's not nearly as special as the one you gave me, but I hope you like it anyway.'

She smiled slightly, taking his arm and walking towards a window before stopping.

'Whats... what's going on between... you and Mister M-Mutou?'

He looked down at her, looking around and making sure no one was around before leaning close to her, speaking into her ear.

'Hanako... Mutou's sister was the first person I tried to save.'

She looked up at him, before looking back to the Classroom and then back to him again. He put his arm on her cheek, and she kept her eyes on him.

'- don't worry, Hanako. I'm going to be all right. What about you? Are you ready for your gift?'

She put her hands on his face before leaning up to him, kissing him. It was short and mostly chaste, but when she pulled away she had a smile again. She nodded, and they left the building. After the short walk to the dormitory was done, he walked up to his room, smiling brightly at her. She smiled back, wondering what exactly he did for her. She opened his door, and he held it for her as she walked in. He closed it behind them, and sat down on the couch. She was about to sit down as well, but he held his arm up to stop her.

'- Before you do that. Under my bed. I've put your present down there.'

She nodded at him, walking past him. He heard a bit of ruffling before it abruptly stopped, and a wide smile crossed his features. She quickly walked up beside him, putting it down on the table and opening it. She gasped a little, seeing the black, brushed metal finish which had swirls of purple on it, almost like a sandstorm. She opened it slowly, pressing the power button and seeing it boot. After 4 seconds, an excerpt from Arabesque played, and the computer was on. She was completely blown away at how different it was from any other computer she had ever used before.

'You... you made this for... for me?'

He nodded, speaking to her.

'Yeah. I got the idea for it a few weeks back, and ordered in the parts. They just got in last night. During that waiting period, I customized the Operating System for ease of use and power. It was a little tricky, but I managed to make it a little better than my own computer, and it should do just about anything you want it to. Also, it could be used with the track pad and keyboard or by voice, so you'll always be able to use it. It's not anywhere near what you did for me today, but... well... Happy Belated Not-Birthday?'

She smiled at him, leaning into him and hugging him. He held onto her, and they stayed like that for the rest of the evening.

* * *

><p>Mikaru walked up to the door in the Girl's dormitories, taking a deep breath before knocking on it. After a few moments, it opened, and Misha looked at him in shock.<p>

"Mikaru! You came! Hi! come in!"

He smiled at the girl, nodding to her before stepping past her, into the room. The door closed behind him, and he saw that Misha was alone here, for once. She watched her take a seat on her bed, stretching out a bit and smiling.

"- Hey, Mikaru, just take a seat wherever if you feel like it, okay? This is so exciting!"

He chuckled a bit, nodding his head and sitting on the end of her bed. She sat up then, smiling at him and putting her hands in her lap.

'So, Misha, how have you been lately? The Council?'

Misha smiled a bit, speaking as she looked away. Mikaru was floored at just how different she was in a private setting. She was almost a thousand times more relaxed and likable than when she was boisterous and loud.

"I am doing pretty good, Mikaru! I don't get the kind of grades that everyone else, does, but I've been talking to Nurse, and he says that if I keep working my hardest, then I'm a shoe-in to becoming a veterinarian!"

Mikaru smiled at that, nodding his head to the girl and seeing her turn to him, continuing.

"- But the Council, on the other hand, is a different story. I admit, Shizune and I had some ulterior motives to wanting Hisao around, but... all that aside, it's still only the two of us. It's hard work, you know? It would be easier if we could just have even one more person on the team, but... well, we used to, but Lilly isn't with us anymore, so a lot of other people are gone, as well."

Mikaru frowned, crossing his arms and speaking.

"- Lilly? Really? She was on the Council? I thought that she was just too busy to do something like that. I mean, it seems just like her, but..."

Misha frowned a bit, speaking.

"You didn't know? Oh, well Shizune and Lilly are related. Cousins, actually. There was a large disagreement, about a year ago, and now they don't speak."

Mikaru absorbed that information. _They don't speak? At all? Well, I mean..._

"... It's not too surprising, actually. I mean, it's nearly impossible for them to communicate alone, right? Shizune can't speak properly because of her deafness, and Lilly can't learn how to sign properly because she can't see. I'm not trying to be insensitive, but... the universe sure seems to have a sense of humor..."

Misha nodded, laughing softly at the observation with a grin.

"It does, doesn't it!? So... you went to see your mom recently?"

Mikaru looked over to the girl, seeing a whole new side of her that was a complete surprise to him.

"I... yeah, I did. It was tough, you know? Lots of things to talk about. Problems to solve, bridges to fix. You know? It... well, I really needed it, actually."

Misha smiled at him, nodding her head a bit and thinking for only a moment before speaking.

"But... now it's just business as usual, right Mikaru?"

He smiled, nodding his head and standing up.

"... Yeah, Misha. Business as usual. Good night, Misha. See you tomorrow, okay?"

She nodded, waving at him as he left the room.

* * *

><p>End of Chapter Thirty - Two: Behind These Bars, Business as Usual!<p>

Next Time! Chapter Thirty Three: Behind These Bars, The Subject of Scars!


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